💾 Archived View for gemini.spam.works › mirrors › textfiles › occult › CHRISTIAN › unholy.txt captured on 2022-06-12 at 16:19:00.
View Raw
More Information
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
[The following material is published by Way of Life Literature and is
copyrighted by David W. Cloud, 1985. All rights are reserved. The following
is available in booklet format from Way of Life Literature, Bible Baptist
Church, 1219 N. Harns Road, Oak Harbor, Washington 98277. Phone (206) 675-
831.]
UNHOLY HANDS ON GOD'S HOLY BOOK
By David W. Cloud
Copyright 1985 by David W. Cloud. All rights reserved.
BLASPHEMY OF THE UNITED BIBLE SOCIETIES
The booklet by this title was produced by the Bible Society of Australia, a
member of the United Bible Societies. The Lord Jesus Christ is
blasphemously portrayed as a supposed "Action Man." The Sower (Bible
Society of India publication) of April 1985 says, "While Action Man has
Scriptures taken directly from the Good News Bible, it is more comfortable
to handle and read than a Bible or New Testament." Beware of the United
Bible Societies.
"The important question is not the mere number of copies [of the Bible]
that are put into circulation, but the character of those copies and their
freedom from doctrinal corruption. We should think but little of sermons
preached, if we were only told that their number was very great, and we had
reason to believe they did not set forth the Gospel of Christ, or if we
knew that their object was to deny some foundation truth: one orthodox
declaration of Jesus Christ crucified would be worth them all and more."
--Samuel Prideaux Tregelles, Missionary and Bible Translator, September 17,
1859
CHAPTER ONE
THE BIBLE SOCIETIES: AN OVERVIEW
By any standard the United Bible Societies are enormously wealthy and are
involved in quite an amazing amount of work. The first Bible society, the
British and Foreign Bible Society, was formed in 1804. The American Bible
Society was formed in 1814, and similar societies have multiplied
throughout the world as the years have passed. "In 1946 the United Bible
Societies organization was formed and now coordinates the work of most of
the world's Bible societies." <Andrew Brown, The Word of God Among All
Nations (London: Trinitarian Bible Society, 1981), p. 124.> As of 1986,
there were 108 member societies involved in the United Bible Societies.
<Christian News (Dec. 8, 1986), p. 22.>
BUDGET
"NEW YORK, NY, November 25 (ABS) -- The American Bible Society will
underwrite 46.2 percent--or $13,910,000--of the $30.1 million World Service
Budget of the United Bible Societies for 1987, ABS reports. It is the
largest allocation that ABS has ever made to the worldwide mutual-help
`pool' for Scripture translation, production and distribution, to which it
has been contributing since the fund was formed in 1966. ABS is one of 108
members of the United Bible Societies global partnership. The $30.1 million
worldwide 1987 budget is $3.4 million more than the 1986 figure, and the
largest in the UBS partnership's 40-year history." <Ibid. p. 22.>
SCRIPTURE DISTRIBUTION
"Nearly 80 percent of the world's Bibles are distributed through the United
Bible Societies." <EP News Service (Aug. 18, 1984).>
"By the year 1989 total world distribution by all members of the United
Bible Societies reached 666,479,288 copies of Scripture." <Record (American
Bible Society: Jan. 1991).>
BIBLE TRANSLATIONS
"As of 1986 the United Bible Societies were involved in Scripture
translation work in 544 different languages around the world. In 360 of
these languages a part of the Bible is being translated for the first time.
Thirty-four projects involve the revision of former translations. The
remaining projects are new translations in languages that have had previous
translations" <Record (Feb. 1986), p. 7.>
When we talk of the United Bible Societies, as you can see, we are not
speaking of an insignificant organization. Go almost anywhere in the world,
and you will discover that the Bible Society has gone before you. Take a
close look at Christian work in practically any locality, and you will find
that an affiliate of the United Bible Societies is actively involved, and
especially will be found at the forefront of any ecumenical activity.
Not only do the Bible societies have a great influence around the world
through their Bible translation and distribution activities, but their
influence is increased by the fact that their Greek text and vernacular
versions are used by most Christian groups, even many which are strongly
Bible-based. The world's most commonly used Greek New Testament is the one
published by the United Bible Societies. A majority of the new Bible
translations produced this century has been based upon this Greek text (or
one practically identical to it). We will see more about this further on in
the study, but the point to see now is that the Bible societies' influence
is indeed vast.
It should be kept in mind that there are many organizations involved in
Bible translation and distribution which are not a part of the United Bible
Societies. Among these are the Trinitarian Bible Society, Wycliffe
Translators, the International Bible Society, The Lockman Foundation,
Lutheran Bible Translators, Living Bibles International, plus many church-
based Bible printing centers, such as the Bearing Precious Seed ministries
in the United States.
Some of these are new-evangelical in philosophy and are becoming
increasingly ecumenical. Wycliffe is a prime example. Wycliffe is also a
very large organization, and though not a part of the United Bible
Societies and not as liberal as the UBS, Wycliffe is extremely ecumenical
and has close ties with Roman Catholics. For example, according to an
article in Eternity magazine, November 1971, page 22,
"The Catholic Bible Association and the Lutheran Bible Translation Society
sponsored the Wycliffe mission's celebration of their annual Bible
Translation Day in Washington, D.C."
Wycliffe uses the United Bible Societies' Greek text in their translations,
and works closely with the UBS in many of their projects. For more
information about Wycliffe, we invite our readers to order Wycliffe Bible
Translators: Whither Bound? by the author. This is available from Way of
Life Literature.
We praise the Lord that there are some faithful Bible publishers. Several
churches in America operate publishing ministries which are fundamental in
doctrine, which practice Bible separation, and which distribute only
Received Text versions. Following are three of these which we can
recommend:
Old Paths Scripture Press
P.O. Box 1
Broomfield, Colorado 80020
Russian Bible Society
P.O. Box 6068
Asheville, North Carolina 28816
Bearing Precious Seed
745 Center Street
Milford, Ohio 45150
The Trinitarian Bible Society, to mention one more non-United Bible Society
Scripture distributor, is also in a separate league from the UBS. For the
most part it has remained true to the God-honored Textus Receptus and is
avoiding today's unscriptural ecumenical movement.
Without going any further, though, into the workings and doctrinal position
of other groups, it is enough here to remind our readers that none of these
should be confused with the United Bible Societies. For the purpose of this
study, we are referring only to member bodies of the United Bible Societies
when we use the term "Bible society."
CHAPTER TWO
THE BIBLE SOCIETIES' STRANGE HISTORY
- *** "The policy of the United Bible Societies regarding the Apocrypha and
interconfessional co-operation with Roman Catholic scholars on Bible
translations was outlined in a booklet published by the American Bible
Society in 1970 <193> Referring to the interdenominational character of the
Bible societies, [the booklet] states that Roman Catholics participated in
the founding of some Bible societies in Europe, and that `the British and
Foreign Bible Society from the beginning co-operated with Roman Catholic
groups.' It is also acknowledged that Roman Catholic churchmen were invited
to participate in the founding of the American Bible Society in 1816." --
Trinitarian Bible Society Quarterly Record<D>, January-March 1979 ****
Apostasy is nothing new to the Bible societies. They have been apostate
from the very beginning in the early 19th century. Of course their apostasy
has increased with the passing years, but the destructive
seeds of false doctrine and ecumenism were present from the earliest days.
The first Bible Society was formed in 1804 in England and named the British
and Foreign Bible Society. According to The History of Christianity,
published by Lion Publishing, 1977, "On 7 March 1804, at London Tavern,
the British and Foreign Bible Society (BFBS) was established." (p. 558)
The BFBS, which was a founding member of the UBS in 1946, was amazingly
apostate from its beginning. Consider a few well-documented facts regarding
this group's early history:
THE BRITISH BIBLE SOCIETY WORKED WITH ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIESTS
"Roman Catholics also enjoyed the support of the BFBS. Soon after its
founding, the BFBS sent funds to Bishop Michael Wittmann [Roman Catholic]
of Regensburg. When the Bavarian priest, Johannes Gossner prepared a German
translation of the New Testament, he too was supported by the BFBS. The
main Catholic agent of the BFBS was, however, Leander van Ess, a priest and
professor of [Catholic] theology at Marburg." <The History of Christianity,
p. 558.>
"The policy of the United Bible Societies regarding the Apocrypha and
interconfessional co-operation with Roman Catholic scholars on Bible
translations was outlined in a booklet published by the American Bible
Society in 1970 ... Referring to the interdenominational character of the
Bible societies, [the booklet] states that Roman Catholics participated in
the founding of some Bible societies in Europe, and that `the British and
Foreign Bible Society from the beginning co-operated with Roman Catholic
groups.' It is also acknowledged that Roman Catholic churchmen were invited
to participate in the founding of the American Bible Society in 1816."
<"The Bible Societies," Trinitarian Bible Society Quarterly Record (Jan.-
Mar., 1979), pgs. 13-14.>
THE BRITISH BIBLE SOCIETY INVITED UNITARIAN PARTICIPATION
Most of the readers of this study will know that Unitarians, while claiming
to be Christian, have no right whatsoever to be called such. They deny the
very Triune God of the Scriptures, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
They scoff at Christ's Deity, vehemently denying that our Lord was very God
and very Man. How, then, can they possibly be considered Christians? And
yet, the British and Foreign Bible Society brought these heretics into its
membership upon its founding at the turn of the 19th century. The shameful
history is given briefly from firsthand accounts and historical documents
quoted from the files of the Trinitarian Bible Society in London.
"When the constitution of the British and Foreign Bible Society was first
formulated, it was understandably not foreseen that the question of
Unitarianism would have much relevance to the society's work. Before long,
however, UNITARIANS GAINED SUBSTANTIAL INFLUENCE UPON THE AFFAIRS OF THE
BIBLE SOCIETY, PARTICULARLY IN EUROPE, WHERE SOME AUXILIARY SOCIETIES WERE
RUN ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY BY PERSONS OF UNITARIAN BELIEFS." <Brown, op. cit.
p. 12.>
It was the failure to secure a provision in the society's constitution
which would remove the Unitarian heretics which led to the formation of an
entirely separate organization in 1831, the Trinitarian Bible Society. You
might understand now where this somewhat unusual name arose.
"The Trinitarian Bible Society was founded in 1831 after a period of
controversy among supporters of the British and Foreign Bible Society
regarding the constitution and policy of that Society. Deep concern was
expressed over the lack of a Scriptural doctrinal basis sufficiently
explicit to ensure that `Unitarians' denying the Deity of the Lord Jesus
Christ could not be admitted to membership or hold office in the Society. A
motion recommending the adoption of such a basis was the subject of a
prolonged and heated debate in Exeter Hall in the Strand, London, at the
Annual Meeting. THE MOTION WAS REJECTED BY A LARGE MAJORITY, but those who
were deeply convinced that the decision was wrong from `Provisional
Committee' ... When it became clear that there was no prospect of bringing
this about [the changing of the BFBS's unscriptural policies], the
`Provisional Committee' convened a meeting to establish a Bible Society on
Scriptural principles." <Trinitarian Bible Society Quarterly Record (No.
475, April-June, 1981), p. 3.>
A Bible society founded on Scriptural principles. One would certainly think
that a Bible Society should indeed be founded on "Scriptural principles"!
But, as we have seen, such was not the case with the British and Foreign
Bible Society, and such has not been the case with the other societies
which have banded together to form the United Bible Societies. They
distribute the Bible, but they do not follow the Bible. They translate it,
but do not obey it. Unholy hands have been placed upon God's Holy Book!
THE BRITISH BIBLE SOCIETY DID NOT ALLOW PUBLIC PRAYER OR BIBLE QUOTATIONS
IN ITS MEETINGS!
Our little history of the British and Foreign Bible Society gets stranger
as we go along. One compromise leads to another, as the Bible so solemnly
warns. These purveyors of Scripture did not heed the Scripture's warnings,
though. Take a closer look at the goings-on within the British and Foreign
Bible Society around 1830, keeping in mind that Unitarians were a strong
presence by this time.
There arose a question over the desirability of offering up prayer to God
at meetings of the society, concerning which there was no provision in the
society's constitution. Lack of such provision would perhaps not have led
to serious disagreement were it not for the simultaneous problem about
Unitarians. There was a feeling that public prayer to God, offered in the
name of Christ, was being avoided for fear of giving offence to Unitarian
members. ...
The committee was urged to call a special meeting of the society to settle
the matter, but it refused to do so. Since the society's rules did not
provide for the requisitioning of special meetings by the members, there
was no option but to raise the matter at the next Anniversary Meeting, in
May 1831. ... It was to be expected that, with these emotive issues
occupying the minds of many people, the Anniversary Meeting would run into
stormy weather. The meeting took place on Wednesday, May 4th, 1831, at the
newly built Exeter Hall in the Strand. ...
On this occasion the annual report included a recommendation that oral
prayer should not be introduced at meetings of the society, but made no
explicit reference to the problem about Unitarians. ... At the conclusion
of the seconder's speech, a degree of excitement seemed to pervade the
Meeting ... J.E. Gordon immediately advanced from the northern end of the
platform, and took his place on the right of the chair, amidst loud and
continued applause. Several minutes passed before order was restored, and
then Gordon spoke:
"If, instead of thus clapping your hands, you would lift up your hands to
the throne of grace, I must take the liberty of saying, you would perform
an act more becoming a Christian Society. ... The first portion which I
seek to establish is, that the British and Foreign Bible Society is
preeminently a religious and Christian Institution, and that no person
rejecting the doctrine of the triune Jehovah. ..." --interrupted by
thunders of applause, which lasted several minutes, BUT WHICH WERE
IMMEDIATELY REPLIED TO BY MOST DETERMINED HISSING FROM VARIOUS PARTS OF THE
MEETING.
When order was restored, Gordon resumed his speech: "...That no person
rejecting the doctrine of the triune Jehovah can be considered a member of
a Christian institution. Thirdly, that in conformity with this principle,
the expression `denominations of Christians' in the Ninth General Law of
the Society, by distinctly understood to include such denominations of
Christians only as profess their belief in the doctrine of the Holy
Trinity."
He went on to say that he would not at present raise the question of
opening meetings with prayer, as this would be an utter waste of time if
the proposition about non-Trinitarians was not at first accepted. When he
sought to justify his arguments by quoting from Scripture, HE WAS MET BY
REPEATED INTERRUPTIONS AND HECKLING FROM PART OF THE AUDIENCE. THE
CHAIRMAN, LORD BEXLEY, SIDED WITH THE INTERRUPTERS AND RESTRAINED GORDON
FROM CITING SCRIPTURE, ON THE GROUNDS THAT TO COMMENT ON THE SCRIPTURE WAS
"TO GO AGAINST THE PRINCIPLE OF THE INSTITUTION."
A general uproar ensued which the Rev. William Howels vainly tried to
calm ... Gordon was seconded by the Rev. George Washington Philips ... Amid
scenes of wild disorder, one speaker after another failed to make
themselves heard. ... AT THE END OF THE MEETING, WHICH LASTED FIVE AND A
HALF HOURS, GORDON'S PROPOSALS WERE VOTED ON BY A SHOW OF HANDS, AND
REJECTED BY A MAJORITY ESTIMATED AT 6 TO 1. <Brown, op. cit., pgs. 12-16,
quoting The Record, May 5th, 1831.>
Could anything be stranger than this true history of the British Bible
Society? What a shameful, sad account. Here we have professing Christians
hissing at and heckling a man of God who had made a simple proposition that
those who deny the Triune God should have no part in that God's business!
And remember that these were supposed Christian leaders and men involved in
Bible translation and distribution. Here we have a Bible Society refusing
to allow the Bible to be quoted, saying such is against their institution!
Here we have a Bible Society which has to fight a great battle just to have
public prayer allowed in their meetings! And here we have a Bible Society,
within 30 years of its founding, voting 6 to 1 against separating from
Bible-denying Unitarians!
If any of our readers are confused at this, please understand that those
causing the trouble at the meeting discussed above were not true Christians
in any sense. The Bible warns that there will be many who claim to be
Christians, but who will be false Christians. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself
warned of this many times: "And many false prophets shall rise, and shall
deceive many." "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's
clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." (Matthew 24:11; 7:15)
Those who were in control of the Bible Society in Britain in the 1830s were
the wolves in sheep's clothing Jesus warned of. What could be wiser than
for the devil to take over the production and distribution of the Bible!
And he has done just this during the past century and a half. Praise God
that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the true churches (Matthew
16:18), and even in this day of awful apostasy [turning away] from the
truth there are many churches and organizations continuing to translate and
distribute the pure Word of God and who not only distribute the Bible but
OBEY the Bible! The Word of God is not lost; God's work is not confounded.
But it is true that much of the work of Bible production has been taken
over by those who are apostate.
The Apostles added their voices to Christ's warning about false teachers.
Paul foretold that conditions among professing Christians will grow
increasingly corrupt: "This know also, that in the last days perilous times
shall come. For men ... [will have] a form of godliness, but denying the
power thereof: from such turn away. ... Ever learning, and never able to
come to the knowledge of truth. ... Evil men and seducers SHALL WAX WORSE
AND WORSE, deceiving, and being deceived" (2 Timothy 3:1,5,7,13). What a
perfect picture of today's Bible Society "scholars," who are swept from one
new theory of inspiration and principles of translations to another!
Thus far we have seen that the Bible societies were apostate from their
beginnings in the early 1800s. Tell me, you farmers, is it possible for bad
seed to produce sound fruit? Or can a bitter fountain produce a sweet
stream? It should not surprise us to see the things which follow as we
consider the works of the Societies and their more recent history.
CHAPTER THREE
THE BIBLE SOCIETIES' APOSTATE VERSIONS
- *** "We might as well trust a lunatic for a lawyer, a quack for a
physician, a wolf for a sheep dog, an alligator for a baby sitter, a rapist
as a Girl Scout leader, or a communist for our President. No modernist can
be trusted with the translation of the Word of God, or the proclamation of
the Word of God!" --E.L. Bynum ****
To produce and distribute the Bible is good only inasmuch as the Bible
being distributed is an accurate translation of the preserved Word of God.
The devil has not kept his dirty hands out of the matters surrounding Bible
production. As early as the first century A.D. we find the Apostle Paul
acknowledging the fact that many evil men were already about the devil's
business of corrupting the Word of God. "For we are not AS MANY, which
corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight
of God speak we in Christ" (2 Corinthians 2:17). Note that the Apostle
reported that MANY were then corrupting the word of God.
In fact, this business of attempting to corrupt God's Word started at the
dawn of man's history when the devil openly denied the Word of God in his
conversation with Eve. And Eve, for her part, changed the Word of God when
she quoted it in the same sad conversation:
"And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees
of the garden: But of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God
hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, let ye die."
(Genesis 3:2-3)
As most of our readers will know, God had not said exactly what Eve quoted.
God's exact command was this: "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest
freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt
not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely
die" (Genesis 2:16-17). Note how Eve corrupted God's Word by adding to it
her own thought about not touching the tree. To change God's Word in any
way is to corrupt it. If one takes away from God's Word, or adds to it, or
changes the meaning he corrupts it. To make any change whatsoever in that
which God has said, be it ever so slight or seemingly insignificant, is a
corruption of the Word of God.
This dirty business of tampering with the Word of God has not ceased since
that terrible day in the Garden of Eden. In the days of the prophets in
Israel we are told that the false prophets "perverted the words of the
living God" (Jer. 23:36). Yes, the devil and his cohorts have been busy
corrupting the Word of God throughout earthly history.
ROMAN CATHOLIC VERSIONS
The Bible societies have distributed many different kinds of versions in
various parts of the world. Not infrequently they have actually distributed
Roman Catholic versions, that is, versions produced by the Roman Catholic
Church. An example comes from Canada.
"The Canadian Bible Society [a member of the United Bible Societies] is
prepared to make use of Roman Catholic versions like that of Ronald Knox, a
modern English translation of the Latin Vulgate [Roman Catholic version].
Copies of this version have been circulated bearing on the front cover,
`The New Testament, presented by the Canadian Bible Society, an Auxiliary
of the British and Foreign Bible Society.' The title page has the words,
`This New Testament is a gift from the Canadian Bible Society, an Auxiliary
of the British and Foreign Bible Society.'... The Preface continues with
commendations by Cardinal Griffin and Pope Pius XII. The title page bears
the names of the publishers--Montreal: Palm Publishers.; London: Burns and
Oates. Publishers to the Holy See [the Roman Catholic Vatican in Rome]."
<Perry F. Rockwood, God's Inspired Preserved Bible, pgs. 39-40.>
This business of distributing Roman Catholic Bibles began in the very
earliest days of the Bible societies. We have already shown that the
British and Foreign Bible Society supported versions produced by Roman
Catholic priests in the early 1800s. These Roman priests were working with
the Latin Vulgate, the officially approved Catholic version. We can be
assured of this because prior to Vatican II the Catholic church strictly
forbad the use of "Protestant" versions of the Bible by its people.
According to the Catechism prescribed by Pope Pius X in 1911,
"Any translation of the Bible into our mother tongue may be read, if it has
been approved by the Catholic Church ... and if it is accompanied by the
explanations approved by the Church. If a Christian should be offered a
Bible by a Protestant, or by some emissary of the Protestants, he ought to
reject it with horror, because it is forbidden by the Church; and if he
should have accepted it without noticing what it was, he should at once
pitch it into the fire, or fetch it to his Pastor. The [Catholic] Church
prohibits Protestant Bibles, because they are either altered and contain
errors, or not having her approval and notes explaining obscure passages,
they may be injurious to faith. For this reason the Church also prohibits
translations of Holy Scripture which she has already approved, but which
are reprinted without the explanations approved by her."
The Catechism added this:
"The name of Protestantism conceals a monstrous heap of private and
individual errors and gathers up in itself all heresies and represents all
forms of rebellion against the Holy Catholic Church." <Translated from the
Catechismo Maggiore (1911), pgs. 190-191 and 316-317, quoted by Andrew
Brown, The Word of God Among All Nations, pgs. 121,122.>
This policy was changed somewhat during the 1960s, but when we read that a
Bible society sponsored the work of a Catholic priest prior to Vatican II
we can be sure that the version was purely Roman Catholic.
That this was a great problem in the early days of the Bible societies is
seen in the protests made against the policy by godly men. An illustration
is found in two letters to the Trinitarian Bible Society, one in 1859 and
one in 1860, by a missionary and Bible translator. He speaks in regard to
God's work among the Spanish speaking peoples. Consider the wise things
this man had to say about Bible distribution, and keep in mind the fact
that he is referring to the practice of the British and Foreign Bible
Society in circulating Catholic versions of the Bible:
"THE IMPORTANT QUESTION IS NOT THE MERE NUMBER OF COPIES [OF THE BIBLE]
THAT ARE PUT INTO CIRCULATION, BUT THE CHARACTER OF THOSE COPIES AND THEIR
FREEDOM FROM DOCTRINAL CORRUPTION. We should think but little of sermons
preached, if we were only told that their number was very great, and we had
reason to believe they did not set forth the Gospel of Christ, or if we
knew that their object was to deny some foundation truth: one orthodox
declaration of Jesus Christ crucified would be worth them all and more.
"One the subject of the Romish versions, it seems however, to be peculiarly
difficult to obtain a proper hearing, and to convince well-meaning persons
that we are not justified in putting forth as the truth of God some known
error in the hope of effecting some supposed extensive good. (September 12,
1860)
"THOSE WHO DEFEND THE CIRCULATION OF THE FALSIFIED ROMISH VERSION OF HOLY
SCRIPTURE CONTINUALLY SPEAK AS IF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SUCH AND HONESTLY
MADE TRANSLATIONS WERE SO SLIGHT THAT THE QUESTION IS ONE OF BUT LITTLE
PRACTICAL IMPORTANCE. ...
"We may well ask, Is it important whether we consider our Lord Jesus Christ
to be the bruiser of the serpent's head, or attribute this to the Virgin
Mary? Is it of no consequence that the second commandment be altered so as
to make it only forbid the rendering of supreme worship to images?
[Catholic doctrine makes this change in order to allow for the idolatry
which goes on within Catholicism with its multitudes of statues, pictures,
and holy trinkets which are worshipped by the followers of Romanism.] Are
we to regard the substitution of penance in the place of repentance as of
slight moment? [The Catholic versions make all of these corruptions in
their official Scriptures, either in the text, or through their footnotes
and "explanations."] So I might go on with inquiry after inquiry, and THE
RESULT WOULD BE THE PLAIN PROOF THAT THE DIFFERENCES ARE SERIOUS INDEED;
FOR THEY SUBSTITUTE THE FALSE DOCTRINE OF MAN FOR THE TRUTH INSPIRED BY THE
HOLY GHOST, AND THEY GIVE APPARENT SANCTION OF GOD TO THAT WHICH IS SO
CONTRARY TO HIS HOLY WILL. Those who thus defend the corrupted versions
show, that either they are really unacquainted with them, or else that they
do not object to the false doctrine of Rome thus insidiously
introduced. ...
"But how do some engaged in circulating the Scriptures gain their
experience? They would speak of copies sold, and of the individuals into
whose hands they pass. But there is another kind of experience little known
to such distributors or sellers, and the results of this I wish to state.
Let anyone who intelligently knows the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ have
to do not only with Bible distribution but also with the reading of Holy
Scripture himself to Roman Catholics. ... HE WILL BE MADE TO FEEL, POINT BY
POINT, THAT A SINGLE PERVERTED WORD BECOMES OF CONSEQUENCE. ... I HAVE BEEN
REPEATEDLY SO CIRCUMSTANCED AS TO BE MADE TO FEEL THIS PAINFULLY. ... I
SPEAK FROM AMPLE EXPERIENCE WHEN I SAY, THAT THERE IS NO REASONABLE GROUND
FOR REGARDING THE DIFFERENCES AS SLIGHT, UNLESS, INDEED, WE SEEK TO
PALLIATE ROMISH ERROR." <Samuel Prideaux Tregelles, September 17, 1859,
quoted by Brown, op. cit., pgs. 41-44.>
A few comments on this honorable letter are in order. First, note the wise
observation that "the important question is not the mere number of copies
of the Bible that are put into circulation, but the character of those
copies and their freedom from doctrinal corruption." We cannot forget this
truth when considering the work of the United Bible Societies today. Though
they are doing an amazing amount of work numerically and financially, this
work can be seen as doing as much harm than good since great numbers of the
Bibles being distributed are corrupted.
Second, the missionary recognized that even seemingly "small" changes in
the Bible are important and produce great harm. We agree wholeheartedly
with his conclusion that "a single perverted word becomes of consequence."
Amen and amen! We could only wish that the United Bible Societies had such
a wonderful attitude toward the holy, eternal, God-breathed words of
Scripture. Sadly, we can't expect such concern for the details of the Bible
when we have "unholy hands" touching it. And I, for one, am convinced that
those who would vote by a margin of 6 to 1 to allow Christ-denying
Unitarians into their fellowship HAVE UNHOLY HANDS!
We have seen, then, that the Bible societies have distributed various kinds
of versions, even purely Roman Catholic ones. Of course, they have also
distributed accurate versions such as the King James Bible in English and
the old Luther's Bible in German, but the Bible reminds us that "a little
leaven leavens the whole lump."
It is when we come to the 20th century that we find the apostasy of the
Bible societies coming into full blossom. This appears in the form their
Greek New Testament and three versions taken from it, the Revised Standard
Version, the Today's English Version and the New English Bible. Of these
versions, the RSV and the Today's English Version have become the preferred
versions for distribution through the United Bible Societies.
The copyright of the Revised Standard Version is held by the National
Council of Churches in America, but it is widely distributed by the Bible
societies.
The Today's English Version [Good News Bible] was published by the American
Bible Society, founding member of the United Bible Societies. This version
has become the favored basis and model for many of the so-called "common
language" versions being produced throughout the world by the United Bible
Societies, as well as other groups such as Wycliffe Bible Translators.
While the New English Bible is as very widely distributed as the RSV and
TEV, the United Bible Societies helped to produce it. Thus we have included
it in our study.
The United Bible Societies' Greek New Testament (or one of its earlier
predecessors) is the basis for all of these translations. All four of these
works, as we will attempt to demonstrate, are exceedingly apostate.
THE UBS GREEK NEW TESTAMENT
Since the Bible societies' Greek New Testament is the foundation of the RSV
and the TEV, we will consider it first. Of necessity, this will be a very
brief look at this Greek text, as this matter could easily form a lengthy
study in itself. In fact, we urge our readers to obtain and study some
discerning critiques of the modern Greek texts which follow the Westcott-
Hort version published in 1885. Some recommended books are listed on the
back cover of this book.
The Third Edition of the United Bible Societies' Greek New Testament was
published in 1975 and is also the 26th edition of the Nestle-Aland text.
It's influence is incalculable. It is used for study and translation
throughout the world, and can be found in practically every country, in
pastor's libraries, on translator's desks, in Bible college classrooms.
What sort of Greek text is this? We limit our comments about this Greek New
Testament to two basic observations:
THE UBS GREEK NEW TESTAMENT WAS PRODUCED BY HERETICS
The Bible forbids God's people from fellowshiping with heretics. Romans
16:17 says, "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions
and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid
them." 2 Timothy 2:16 commands us to "shun profane and vain babblings: for
they will increase unto more ungodliness." 2 Timothy 3 warns of the
apostasy of the last hours, and warns of those who have a form of godliness
but deny the power thereof. Of such God says to "turn away" (2 Tim. 3:5).
As we look at those who produced the UBS Greek New Testament and see their
deep apostasy, we must keep these warnings in mind. God has commanded us to
separate from apostates. It is clear that He would not use apostates to
give us the Scriptures!
To demonstrate the fact that apostates produced the UBS Greek New
Testament, we have only to look in the preface of this Greek text to see
the list of editors--"Kurt Aland, Matthew Black, Carlo M. Martini, Bruce M.
Metzger, and Allen Wikgren."
We further note that the UBS Greek text was produced under the direction of
Eugene A. Nida, who "took part in Committee discussions, especially those
relating to major decisions of policy and method. <The Greek New Testament,
United Bible Societies, Preface to the First Edition, 1965.>
Who are these men? Not one of these men is a Bible believer. Not one is an
evangelical. Six of the editors of the UBS Greek New Testament are
theological modernists. The seventh is a Roman Catholic bishop! Let's take
a closer look at three of these men--Martini, Nida, and Metzger.
CARLO MARTINI
Carlo Martini, who also was involved in the Second Edition of the United
Bible Societies' Greek New Testament, is a Roman Catholic priest. In fact
he is the bishop of Milan. <Trinitarian Bible Society Quarterly Record
(Oct.-Dec. 1985), p. 25.> He is also Professor of New Testament Criticism
at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. <Everett Fowler, Evaluating
Versions of the New Testament (1981), p. 5.>
Is the fact that Martini is a Catholic bishop significant? Does it matter?
Let's recount the official teachings of Rome:
According to Romanism, the pope is the Vicar of Christ on earth and is to
receive homage as such; the pope can make or change doctrine through his
official pronouncements, and such pronouncements are to be considered
infallible by all Christians; Mary is to be worshipped as the Mother of God
and as the Queen of Heaven; she is a perpetual virgin, is sinless, and can
hear and answer prayer, having ascended bodily into heaven; most Christians
must go to a place called purgatory, a place of fiery judgment, for some
time after death before they can enter heaven; at the Catholic mass the
bread and wine actually become the literal body and blood of Christ through
the power of the Roman priest and the consecrated bread is to be worshipped
following the mass; Catholic priests are ordained to the order of
Melchisedec and have the power to forgive sins and to impart spiritual
blessings through the Roman sacraments; Catholic tradition is just as
truthful and important as the Scriptures; salvation is achieved through
faith in Christ PLUS baptism AND the sacraments of the Catholic church.
These are only a few of the heresies taught by the Roman Catholic Church.
And every one of these false teachings was reaffirmed during the Second
Vatican Council in the 1960s. Anyone desiring evidence of this can order
the author's study entitled Is the Roman Catholic Church Changing: Vatican
II Reaffirms Catholic Heresies.
EUGENE NIDA
As we have seen, the preface to the First Edition of the UBS Greek New
Testament tells us that "the project was initiated, organized, and
administered by Eugene A. Nida, who also took part in Committee
discussions, especially those relating to major decisions of policy and
method."
Eugene Nida is a key promoter of the method of Bible translation know as
"dynamic equivalency." This is the loose paraphrasing method popularized in
such English translations as the Living Bible and the Today's English
Version. Nida started his ministry with Wycliffe in the 1930s, but since
1943 he has served with the United Bible Societies.
"Dr. Nida served as Executive Secretary of the Translations Department from
1946 to December 1980. ... This work has taken him to more than 85
countries, where he has conferred with scores of translators on linguistic
problems involving more than 200 different languages. Dr. Nida was also
Translation Research Coordinator for the United Bible Societies from 1970
to 1980. While now retired, he retains his relationship with the ABS and
UBS as a Special Consultant for Translations, and is active in research,
writing and lecturing." <Record (American Bible Society, Mar. 1986), p.
17.>
Though now retired, Nida retains his relationship with the ABS and with the
UBS as a Special Consultant for Translations, and is active in research,
writing, and lecturing.
The important thing we must note here is the fact that Eugene Nida is a
heretic.
Nida says the Bible is not absolute, perfect truth
"God did not give eternal truths, says Nida, but granted communication. He
revealed Himself through the imperfections of human language. It is not our
duty to canonize the imperfect form, but it is our task to let the purpose
of the revelation find expression in a different culture that has its own
limitations." <Jakob Van Bruggen, The Future of the Bible (Thomas Nelson:
1978), p. 75, quoting E.A. Nida, Message and Mission, pgs. 221-22.>
"Nida states emphatically that the biblical revelation is not `absolute'
and applies Paul's statement that 'now we see through a glass, darkly' (1
Cor. 13:12) to the biblical revelation itself, which as the really
incarnate Word can offer no absolute truth. Because it is a medium of
communication within a limited cultural context, human language is unsuited
as a vehicle for supernatural, eternal truths that would, in fact, need a
language that is unhuman or divine." <Van Bruggen, p. 76, quoting Nida,
Message and Mission, pgs. 224-228.>
"Even if a truth is given only in words, it has no real validity until it
has been translated into life. Only then does the Word of Life become life
to the receptor. The words are in a sense nothing in and of themselves."
<Eugene Nida, Message and Mission (New York: Harper & Row, 1960), p. 225.>
"In a time when the Bible was thought to be written in a kind of Holy Ghost
language, the only criterion to exegetical accuracy was the pious hope that
one's interpretations were in accord with accepted doctrine. At a later
period, when grammar was viewed almost exclusively from an historical
perspective, one could only hope to arrive at valid conclusions by
`historical reconstructs,' but these often proved highly impressionistic.
At present, linguistics has provided much more exact tools of analysis
based on the dynamic functioning of language, and it is to these that one
ought to look for significant developments in the future." <Eugene Nida,
Language Structure and Translation (Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University
Press, 1975), p. 259.>
Nida is dead wrong in his views that the Bible is not absolute, is not
eternal truth, and that it is written in imperfect language. Though written
by imperfect men, the Bible is written in words chosen by God and settled
forever in heaven. The Bible IS written in a language that is divine; it
IS Holy Ghost language. The Bible's words are God's words and they have
eternal validity whether or not they are "translated into life," whether or
not they are understood by man!
Nida says the accounts of angels and miracles are not to be interpreted
literally
" ... wrestling with an angel all have different meanings than in our own
culture." <Nida, Message and Mission, p. 41.>
The Bible's accounts of angels has nothing to do with culture. They are
true accounts of historical events. Jesus Christ believed in literal angels
and interpreted the Old Testament miracles literally, and He is certainly a
more faithful Guide than Nida.
Nida denies the Blood Atonement
"Most scholars, both Protestant and Roman Catholic, interpret the
references to the redemption of the believer by Jesus Christ, not as
evidence of any commercial transaction by any quid pro quo between Christ
and God or between the `two natures of God' (his love and his justice), but
as a figure of the `cost,' in terms of suffering." <E.A. Nida and Charles
Taber, Theory and Practice (1969), p. 53, n. 19.>
Nida was co-author (with Barclay M. Newman) of the United Bible Societies'
publication A translator's Handbook on Paul's Letter to the Romans.
Commenting on Romans 3:25, which says, "Whom God hath set forth to be a
propitiation through faith in his blood," this commentary states:
"...`blood' is used in this passage in the same way that it is used in a
number of other places in the New Testament, that is, to indicate a violent
death. ... Although this noun [propitiation] (and its related forms) is
sometimes used by pagan writers in the sense of propitiation (that is, an
act to appease or placate a god), it is never used this way in the Old
Testament."
Nida is wrong. The sacrifice of Christ was not just a figure; it WAS a
placation of God, of His holiness and of the righteous demands in His law.
Christ's sacrifice WAS a commercial transaction between Christ and God, and
was NOT merely a figure of the cost in terms of suffering.
The sacrifice of Calvary was a true sacrifice, and that sacrifice required
the offering of blood--not just a violent death as Nida says. Blood is
blood and death is death, and we believe God is wise enough to know which
of these words should be used. Had Christ died, for example, by beating, it
would not have atoned for sin because blood is required. Those who tamper
with the blood atonement often, like Nida, claim to believe in
justification by grace, but they are rendering the Cross ineffective by
reinterpreting its meaning. There is no grace without a true propitiation.
Propitiation means "satisfaction," and refers to the fact that the sin debt
was satisfied by the blood atonement of Christ. The great difference
between the heathen concept of propitiating God and that of the Bible is
this--the God of the Bible paid the propitiation Himself through His own
Sacrifice, whereas the heathen thinks that he can propitiate God through
his human labors and sacrifices. But the fact remains that God did have to
be propitiated.
Nida is a clever man. He does not openly assault the blood atonement and
the doctrine of inspiration as his translator friend Robert Bratcher does.
(Bratcher , translator of the Today's English Version, has co-authored
books with Nida. The author's book A Most Frightful Deception: The Today's
English Version and Translator Robert Bratcher looks at Bratcher's
heresies. This is available from Way of Life Literature.) Rather Nida uses
the same words as the Bible believer, but he reinterprets key passages such
as above. This is called neo-orthodoxy. Beware.
Nida says Bible language was not given of God but determined by the writers
"Nida and Taber state that Paul, if he had been writing for us rather than
for his original audience, would not only have written in a different
language-form, but also would have said the same things differently." <Van
Bruggen, p. 76, quoting Nida and Charles Taber, Theory and Practice of
Translation (1969), p. 23, n. 3.>
Nida does not believe the Bible's own confession as to its nature. In 2
Peter 1:21 we read that "the prophecy came not in old time by the will of
man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." Since
the Apostle Paul did not choose his words, it is heretical to say he would
write in a different language form if he were writing today. Paul's words
did not arise from his own will and context, but were Revelations from
Heaven, and were written in words chosen by God. "But I certify you,
brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I
neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation
of Jesus Christ" (Gal. 1:11-12). See also 1 Cor. 2:10-13, where Paul states
that the very words of New Testament Revelation were of God.
Nida says no absolutes in Christianity except God
"The only absolute in Christianity is the triune God. Anything which
involves man, who is finite and limited, must of necessity be limited, and
hence relative. Biblical culture relativism is an obligatory feature of our
incarnational religion, for without it we would either absolutize human
institutions or relativize God." <Eugene Nida, Customs and Cultures (New
York: Harper & Row, 1954), p. 282, footnote 22.>
Nida apparently would put everything which man has touched in the category
of imperfection, in spite of the fact that some of man's things have come
down from heaven. This includes the Bible and the institutions of the
Bible, such as the tabernacle, the priesthood, and the church.
BRUCE METZGER
Another of the editors of the United Bible Societies' Greek New Testament
is Bruce M. Metzger. Metzger is George L. Collord Professor of New
Testament Language and Literature, Princeton Theological Seminary,
<Editor's Preface, New Oxford Annotated Bible RSV (Oxford University Press,
1973), p. ix.> and he serves on the board of the American Bible Society.
<St. Petersburg Times (Oct. 2, 1982), p. 5.>
Metzger served on the committee which produced the Revised Standard
Version--a committee infamous for its wicked modernism, as we shall see
further in our study, and he is the head of the continuing RSV translation
committee of the apostate National Council of Churches in the U.S.A.
Metzger was the chairman for the Reader's Digest Condensed Bible and wrote
the introductions to each book in this butchered version of the Scriptures.
The Preface claims that "Dr. Metzger was actively involved at every stage
of the work, from the initial studies on each of the sixty-six books
through all the subsequent editorial reviews. The finished condensation has
received his full approval." The Condensed Bible removed 40% of the Bible
text, including the warning of Revelation 22:18-19! In the introductions to
the books of the Reader's Digest Bible, Metzger questions the authorship,
traditional date, and supernatural inspiration of books penned by Moses,
Daniel, and Peter, and in many other ways reveals his liberal, unbelieving
heart. Consider some examples:
Gensis: "Nearly all modern scholars agree that, like the other books of the
Pentateuch, [Genesis] is a composite of several sources, embodying
traditions that go back in some cases to Moses" (Introduction to Genesis).
Exodus: "As with Genesis, several strands of literary tradition, some very
ancient, some as late as the sixth century B.C., were combined in the
makeup of the books" (Introduction to Exodus).
Deuteronomy: "It's compilation is generally assigned to the seventh century
B.C., though it rests upon much older tradition, some of it from Moses'
time" (Introduction to Deuteronomy)
Daniel: "Most scholars hold that the book was compiled during the
persecutions (168-165 B.C.) of the Jewish people by Antiochus Epiphanes"
(Introduction to Daniel).
John: "Whether the book was written dirrectly by John, or indirectly (his
teachings may have been edited by another), the church has accepted it as
an authooritative supplement to the story of Jesus' ministry given by the
other evangelists" (Introduction to John).
1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus: "Judging by differences in style and
vocabulary from Paul's other letters, many modern scholars think that the
Pastorals were not written by Paul." (Introduction to 1 Timothy).
James: "Tradition ascribes the letter to James, the Lord's brother, writing
about A.D. 45, but modern opinion is uncertain, and differs widely on both
origin and date." (Introduction to James).
1 Peter: "According to tradition, the apostle Peter wrote the letter from
Rome, perhaps after the outbreak of persecution by the emperor Nero in A.D.
64. But this is questioned by some modern scholars, who prefer to date the
letter nearer A.D. 100, with authorship unknown" (Introduction to 1 Peter).
2 Peter: "Because the author refers to the letters of Paul as `scripture,'
a term apparently not applied to them until long after Paul's death, most
modern scholars think that this letter was drawn up in Peter's name
sometime between A.D. 100 and 150" (Introduction to 2 Peter).
Metzger's modernism was also made plain in the notes to the New Oxford
Annotated Bible RSV. Published in 1973, the New Oxford Annotated Bible was
edited by Herbert G. May and Bruce Metzger. Consider some excerpts from the
notes to this version:
Introduction to the Old Testament: "The Old Testament may be described as
the literary expression of the religious life of ancient Israel. ... The
Israelites were more history-conscious than any other people in the ancient
world. Probably as early as the time of David and Solomon, out of a matrix
of myth, legend, and history, there had appeared the earliest written form
of the story of the saving acts of God from Creation to the conquest of the
Promised Land, an account which later in modified form became a part of
Scripture. But it was to be a long time before the idea of Scripture arose
and the Old Testament took its present form. ... The process by which the
Jews became `the people of the Book' was gradual, and the development is
shrouded in the mists of history and tradition. ... The date of the final
compilation of the Pentateuch or Law, which was the first corpus or larger
body of literature that came to be regarded by the Jews as authoritative
Scripture, is uncertain, although some have conservatively dated it at the
time of the Exile in the sixth century. ... Before the adoption of the
Pentateuch as the Law of Moses, there had been compiled and edited in the
spirit and diction of the Deuteronomic `school' the group of books
consisting of Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings, in much their
present form. ... Thus the Pentateuch took shape over a long period of
time."
Notes on Genesis: "[Genesis] 2.4b-3.24 ... is a different tradition from
that in 1.1-2,4a, as evidenced by the flowing style and the different order
of events, e.g. man is created before vegetation, animals, and woman. ...
7:16b: The Lord shut him in, a note from the early tradition, which
delights in anthropomorphic touches. 7:18-20: The waters covered all the
high mountains, thus threatening a confluence of the upper and lower waters
(1.6). Archaeological evidence suggests that traditions of a prehistoric
flood covering the whole earth are heightened versions of local
inundations, e.g. in the Tigris-Euphrates basin."
Notes on Job: "The ancient folktale of a patient Job (1.1-2.13; 42.7-17;
Jas. 5.11) circulated orally among oriental sages in the second millennium
B.C. and was probably written down in Hebrew at the time of David and
Solomon or a century later (about 1000-800 B.C.)."
Notes on Psalm 22: "22:12-13: ... the meaning of the third line [they have
pierced my hands and feet] is obscure."
Notes on Isaiah: "Only chs. 1-39 can be assigned to Isaiah's time; it is
generally accepted that chs. 40-66 come from the time of Cyrus of Persia
(539 B.C.) and later, as shown by the differences in historical background,
literary style, and theological emphases. ... The contents of this section
[chs. 56-66] (sometimes called Third Isaiah) suggest a date between 530 and
510 B.C., perhaps contemporary with Haggai and Zechariah (520-518);
chapters 60-62 may be later."
Notes on Jonah: "The book is didactic narrative which has taken older
material from the realm of popular legend and put it to a new, more
consequential use."
Introduction to the New Testament: "Jesus himself left no literary remains;
information regarding his words and works comes from his immediate
followers (the apostles) and their disciples. At first this information was
circulated orally. As far as we know today, the first attempt to produce a
written Gospel was made by John Mark, who according to tradition was a
disciple of the Apostle Peter. This Gospel, along with a collection of
sayings of Jesus and several other special sources, formed the basis of the
Gospels attributed to Matthew and Luke."
Notes on 2 Peter: "The tradition that this letter is the work of the
apostle Peter was questioned in early times, and internal indications are
almost decisive against it. ... Most scholars therefore regard the letter
as the work of one who was deeply indebted to Peter and who published it
under his master's name early in the second century."
Notes from "How to Read the Bible with Understanding": "The opening
chapters of the Old Testament deal with human origins. They are not to be
read as history ... These chapters are followed by the stories of the
patriarchs, which preserve ancient traditions now known to reflect the
conditions of the times of which they tell, though they cannot be treated
as strictly historical. ... it is not for history but for religion that
they are preserved ... When we come to the books of Samuel and Kings ...
Not all in these books is of the same historical value, and especially in
the stories of Elijah and Elisha there are legendary elements. ... We
should always remember the variety of literary forms found in the Bible,
and should read a passage in the light of its own particular literary
character. Legend should be read as legend, and poetry as poetry, and not
with a dull prosaic and literalistic mind." <The New Oxford Annotated Bible
Revised Standard Version, edited by Herbert May and Bruce Metzger (Oxford
University Press, 1973).>
It is evident at this point that Bruce Metzger, editor of the Reader's
Digest Condensed Bible and the New Oxford Annotated Bible, is a thorough-
going liberal who denies the very Word of God he translates. He claims the
Bible is filled with myth and lies. He denies its history, its miracles,
and its authorship. And in true liberal style, he piously claims that this
denial does not do injustice to the Word of God, for the Bible is not to be
read "with a dull prosaic and literalistic mind"! While it is true that
Metzger did not write all of the notes in the New OxfordBible, his stamp of
editorship is upon the whole work.
Do you not see why I say the United Bibles Societies' Greek New Testament
is produced by apostate men? The three men we have considered--the Roman
Catholic bishop and two unbelieving liberals--should suffice as evidence of
this.
Thus we come to the second thought about the Bible societies' Greek New
Testament:
THE UBS GREEK NEW TESTAMENT DIFFERS VASTLY FROM THE PRESERVED TEXT
The Third Edition United Bible Societies Greek New Testament is basically
a revision of the Greek text introduced to the English Revised Version
translation committee in the late nineteenth century. This text was
produced by two of the members of the committee, Westcott and Hort, who
preferred two newly discovered Greek manuscripts (the Sinaiticus and the
Vaticanus, both of which were found in Catholic institutions) to make
hundreds of changes in the traditional Greek text which had been used up to
that time. The Westcott-Hort Greek New Testament was a radically different
text from the one which was used by the translators of the Bibles during
the Protestant Reformation in the 16th and 17th centuries and by the
missionary translators who produced versions in many of the languages of
the world during the 18th and 19th centuries. There are more than 8,000
word differences between the Westcott-Hort Greek New Testament and that
from which the King James Bible was translated. The United Bible Societies'
Greek New Testament has almost the same number of changes, as it is
basically only a revision of the Westcott-Hort text.
Everett Fowler made extensive comparisons between the Westcott-Hort text,
the Bible societies' text, and many modern English versions, comparing them
to the Received Text and with the King James Bible. Regarding the UBS Greek
New Testament and the Westcott-Hort text we learn the following facts as
these are compared with the text underlying the KJV and most of the great
versions of the Reformation era:
2,625 words are omitted
310 words are added
46 whole verses are omitted or questioned
221 omissions of names regarding the Lord God
318 other different omissions having substantial effect on meaning
TOTAL WORD DIFFERENCES 8,674 (UBS text), 8413 (Westcott-Hort text) <Fowler,
Evaluating Versions of the New Testament, p. 9.>
What this means is this--
If the Bible societies text is assumed to be the nearest to the verbally
inspired original text, then the Received Text includes over 8,000 Greek
words not inspired of God. The significance of these changes becomes even
more apparent when we consider their nature. The UBS New Testament deletes
or questions more than 40 entire verses which were contained in the KJV and
the other God-honored Protestant versions--Matt. 12:47; 17:21; 18:11;
21:44; 23:14; Mk. 7:16; 9:44,46; 11:26; 15:28 16:9-20; Lk. 17:36; 23:17;
24:12,40; Jn. 5:4; 7:53-8:11; Acts 8:37; 28:29; Rom. 16:24; and 1 Jn. 5:8.
Further, large portions of other verses are deleted, including most of
Matt. 5:44; 15:8; 19:9; 20:7; 20:16,22; 25:13; 27:35; 28:9; Mk. 6:11; 7:8;
9:49; 10:24; 11:10; 13:14; Lk. 1:28; 4:4; 9:55,56; 11:2-4; 21:4; 22:64; Jn.
5:3; Acts 2:30; 9:5-6; 23:9; 24:6-8; 28:16; Rom. 8:1; 11:6; 14:6; 1 Cor.
6:20; Gal. 3:1; Eph. 5:30; 1 Thess. 1:1; 1 Tim. 6:5; Heb. 2:7; 1 Jn. 5:13;
Rev. 1:8,11; and 5:14.
A great many of the omissions in the UBS Greek New Testament affect key
doctrines of the faith, including the Deity and Virgin Birth of Christ, the
Atonement, and the Trinity. For example, the UBS Greek Testament deletes
the word "God" in 1 Tim. 3:16, thus destroying the effectiveness of one of
the Bible's clearest testimonies to the fact that Jesus Christ is God. The
words "the Lord" are removed from 1 Cor. 15:47, thus destroying this
testimony to Christ's deity. (He IS the Lord from Heaven!) The words "by
Himself" are removed from Heb. 1:3, thus deleting this powerful witness
about Christ's atonement. The deletion of Acts 8:37 in the UBS Greek
Testament destroys the effectiveness of this passage of Scripture as to the
fact that faith must precede baptism. The removal of 1 Jn. 5:8 takes from
the Bible one of the plainest references to the Trinity.
A convenient list of 200 of the significant changes in the UBS Greek
Testament is available in the New Eye Opener pamphlet. This can be obtained
from Way of Life Literature.
There can be no doubt that the UBS Greek New Testament is a significantly
different text than that which underlies the King James Version and other
great Protestant translations which have been so honored and singularly
blessed by God for 400 years.
The Bible societies themselves admit that their Greek text is radically
different from the Bible text used in the centuries preceding ours.
According to Bible society scholars, the Greek text of the Protestant
Reformation is a corrupted text. They contend that it was not until the
late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries that the purest text and most
accurate methods of discerning the correct textual reading were discovered.
This is stated in the Preface to an American Bible Society edition of the
Revised Standard Version:
"The King James Version has GRAVE defects. By the middle of the nineteenth
century [the 1800s], the development of Biblical studies and the discovery
of many manuscripts more ancient than those upon which the King James
Version was based, made it manifest that THESE DEFECTS ARE SO MANY AND SO
SERIOUS as to call for revision of the English translation ... The King
James Version of the New Testament was based upon a Greek text that was
marred by mistakes, containing the accumulated errors of fourteen centuries
of manuscript copying. ... Now we possess many more ancient manuscripts of
the New Testament, and are far better equipped to seek to recover the
original wording of the Greek text." <Preface to the Revised Standard
Version (American Bible Society edition, 1978 printing), pgs. iii and iv.>
Is this true? Is the King James Bible and its underlying Greek text gravely
defected? Our answer is absolutely not. There are many reasons for
rejecting the Bible society's teaching in this serious matter, but for the
purposes of this study we want to focus on one, and that is God's promise
of preservation. God has promised to preserve His Word to every generation.
He gave a pure, holy Word, and He has promised to preserve that Word. I
believe God has done just this.
Consider the following promises carefully:
"The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of
earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt
preserve them from this generation for ever." Psalm 12:5-6
"The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to
all generations." Psalm 33:11
"For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to
all generations." Psalm 100:5
"For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven. Psalm 119:89
"Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded
them for ever." Psalm 119:152
"Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous
judgments endureth for ever." Psalm 119:160
"As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord; My spirit that
is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart
out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of
thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever." Isaiah
59:21
"For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one
tittle shall in no wise pass away, but my words shall not pass away."
Matthew 24:35
"But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by
the gospel is preached unto you." I Peter 1:25
Because of these promises, I cannot accept any new Greek text which is so
radically different from the one which was spread throughout the earth
during the great Protestant Reformation and world missionary movement of
the past four centuries. In light of God's promises regarding the
preservation of His Word, it simply is not possible for me to believe that
God would allow the purest text to be hidden away for hundreds of years
(collecting dust in a monastery at Mt. Sinai and in the pope's library at
the Vatican!), while a corrupted text in the form of the Received Text was
being distributed throughout the world more widely than at any other time
in history. (The author deals more thoroughly with the doctrine of
preservation in his series of booklets Myths About the King James Bible,
available from Way of Life Literature.)
The actual truth of the matter is that the Bible societies are promoting a
corrupted Greek text. The Received Text underlying the King James Bible is
not corrupted; it is the UBS text which is perverted! God's pure Word was
not lost from the sixteenth to the late nineteenth centuries. Rather, God's
pure Word is being lost to this present apostate generation! It is not,
though, because the pure, preserved manuscripts are hidden away somewhere.
It is because apostate Christian leaders have willfully turned their backs
to the preserved Word of God and are cleaving to a corrupted text and are
following unbelieving scholars.
This is no light matter. If the Bible societies are correct in their
assumption that the text of the Protestant Reformation was gravely
defected, the great work of God during the hundreds of years prior to this
century was based upon a corrupted Bible. If the Bible societies are wrong
about this matter, it is their Greek text which is the corrupted one, and
they are responsible for distributing to men a perversion of God's Word.
What could be more serious? What could provoke the wrath of God more
quickly, more certainly than the corruption of His blessed and Holy Word?
It is our settled conviction that the Bible societies of our day stand
guilty in this matter. They are using their vast resources to spread
throughout the world a seriously corrupted Greek text.
THE REVISED STANDARD VERSION
Let us pass now from the Bible societies' Greek text to the English
versions they are distributing, beginning with The Revised Standard
Version.
The Revised Standard Version is copyrighted by the National Council of
Churches in America and is widely distributed by the United Bible
Societies.
In South Asia, for example, where we have had our missionary work, the RSV
is very popular due to the influence of the Bible societies. On a trip to
India in recent years I visited a Roman Catholic book store in Calcutta and
was told by a nun there that the main version they distribute now is the
RSV. I wanted to purchase a Roman Catholic translation, but they had only a
few dusty copies of the Jerusalem Bible. The translation they were pushing
was the RSV, and the copies they had were published by the Bible societies.
On that same trip I visited the Calcutta branch of the Bible Society in
India [a member of the United Bible Societies] and saw the large stock they
maintain of the RSV.
In addition, it should be pointed out that most translations made by the
Bible societies are made from the RSV or from the Greek and Hebrew text
underlying the RSV. This is true for the Hindi language, which is one of
the two official languages of India and which is spoken by 31% of the more
than 700 million people of that country. Practically all of the vernacular
translations of the Bible in India are based either on the RSV, the Bible
societies' Today's English Version, or the Bible societies' Greek New
Testament.
What kind of Bible is this Revised Standard Version? Rather than giving a
detailed analysis of the translation itself, I will share a brief study of
the doctrinal thinking of the men who produced the translation. Keep in
mind, also, that at least two of the editors of the United Bible Societies'
Greek New Testament were involved in this shameful endeavor. These men are
Bruce Metzger and Allen Wikgren. Tell me now, "Can two walk together,
except they be agreed" (Amos 3:3)?
What was the spiritual condition of the members of the Revised Standard
Version committee? Let us give the facts first in a nutshell:
"When the RSV was published, the list of translators was also released and
the majority of the translators were found to be unbelieving infidels from
modernistic and liberal schools, and a large percentage of them were
members of many and various Communist-front organizations. At least four of
the RSV translators were from Union Theological Seminary of New York City,
a hotbed of modernism, socialism, and un-Americanism." <M.L. Moser, Good
News For Modern Man (Little Rock, Arkansas: Challenge Press, 1970), p. 72.>
That this is no wild opinion is proven by the following frightening details
about the spiritual condition and beliefs (we should say unbeliefs) of many
of the translators of the RSV. It should be noted that the author of the
following review, Pastor Perry Rockwood, studied in a modernistic seminary
and was ordained and served for some years in a liberal Presbyterian
denomination before he understood the error of evil affiliations and
separation from the apostasy. After publishing four sermons exposing the
apostasy of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, Rockwood was brought to a
church trial. He was told to destroy the sermons and to stop preaching
them! He is well familiar with the writings he quotes, for he studied from
some of them in seminary!
Let us examine some of the leaders and so-called scholars who did the
translation work of the RSV:
Edgar J. Goodspeed--Edgar J. Goodspeed, one of the translators of this
Revised Version, wrote in a book, A Life of Jesus: "Jesus' youth was
probably one of dawning and increasing dissatisfaction with the prevalent
form of the Jewish religion in Nazareth and in his own home. HE DID NOT IN
THOSE EARLY YEARS SEE WHAT HE COULD DO ABOUT IT, but he must have felt a
growing sense that there was something deeply wrong about it, which should
be corrected. ... Jesus' religious life had awakened early. From boyhood HE
HAD LEARNED TO THINK OF HIMSELF, as Hosea had said, AS A SON OF THE LIVING
GOD [not THE Son]."
Notice how this reasoning removes the Deity from the person of Christ. ...
Goodspeed also describes the "demons" of the Bible as "delusions." He
writes: "`My name is Legion!' cried this man, `for there are many of us.'
This was clearly the man's own conviction of his emotional instability; he
felt himself to be in the control of a multiple personality. ... Jesus
humored him, and the man's cries and movements so frightened the animals
that they rushed in panic over the edge of the cliff into the lake."
Actually the Bible teaches that the swine had listened to "the man's cries
and movements" for years without running in panic over the cliff. It was
only when the man ceased his maniacal screamings that they became "panic
stricken."
Goodspeed also takes the miracle out of the feeding of the 5000; "Jesus'
simple example of sharing all he and his disciples had with their guests
must have moved those Galileans as it moves us still. They could not do
less than he had done. They followed his example." ... Speaking of the
death of Christ, Goodspeed has Him planning His death with these words: "He
faced the question of his next step in his work. He had no mind to die
obscurely in some corner of Galilee, to no purpose. A BOLDER PLAN WAS NOW
TAKING SHAPE IN HIS MIND. He would present himself to Jerusalem ...
publicly offer them their Messianic destiny, and take the consequences."
The same writer denies the physical resurrection of Christ in these words:
"That he is to be with them always, to the very end, shows that IT IS NOT
AS A PHYSICAL PRESENCE THAT HE HAS COME BACK TO THEM, BUT AS A SPIRITUAL
ONE." In another book, How To Read the Bible, he calls Genesis the product
of an "oriental story teller at his best"; describes Ruth as a little idyll
belonging to "Israel's FICTION, rather than to its history, and should be
read among its tales and stories"; the book of Job is "religious FICTION";
and of Jonah he says: "Jonah is the first missionary book in the world. If
people would RECOGNIZE IT AS FICTION, they might get from it its meaning,
which was never more needed than today."
Julius A. Brewer--Another translator, Julius A. Brewer, in a book entitled,
The Literature of the Old Testament, says that "the dates and figures found
in the first five books of the Bible turn out to be ALTOGETHER UNRELIABLE."
James Moffat--James Moffat, who published his own translation of the Bible,
wrote in a book, The Approach To the New Testament: "The writers of the New
Testament MADE MISTAKES in interpreting some of the Old Testament
prophecies."
William F. Albright--This translator wrote a book entitled, From The Stone
Age To Christianity. He does not believe in the accuracy of John's Gospel,
for he writes: "One cannot of course place John on the same level with the
synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) as a historical source." He also
sets forth a confused plan of salvation: "He [Jesus] also in other places
states that each individual must decide for himself whether the details of
Jesus' birth and resurrection are literal or only spiritual."
Henry F. Cadbury--This translator, in his book, Jesus, What Manner Of Man?,
seems to feel that our Lord was slightly conceited, to put it mildly, and
perhaps just a little insane. Said he, "Much of the most appreciative
writing about him runs the risk of putting him into the introvert class.
Indeed, as is well known, the emphasis of orthodoxy [those who believe that
the Bible says what it means and means what it says] upon his messianic
claims and messianic consciousness led some psychiatrists to doubt his
sanity. ... He [Jesus] was given to overstatements, in his case, not a
personal idiosyncrasy, but a characteristic of the oriental world." In
another book, The Peril Of Modernizing Jesus, Mr. Cadbury explains away the
supernatural in the Gospels by suggesting that that fairy story element
crept in someplace along the line. His words are, "As to the miraculous,
one can hardly doubt that time and tradition would heighten this element in
the story of Jesus. Later gospels (than Mark) plainly move in this
direction, and the evidence is familiar to all students of synoptic
parallels. ... His [Jesus'] gospel was in brief a social gospel."
Walter Russell Bowie--In his book, Great Men Of The Bible, he makes these
statements: "According to the enthusiastic traditions which had come down
through the FOLKLORE of the people of Israel, Methuselah lived 969 years";
"Methuselah has become, not only a LEGEND, but a proverb. ... The story of
Abraham comes down from ancient times; and HOW MUCH OF ITS IS FACT AND HOW
MUCH OF IT IS LEGEND, NO ONE CAN POSITIVELY TELL." Referring to Jacob's
night of wrestling with the Angel of God, he says, "The man of whom these
words were written (Genesis 32:31) belongs to a time so long ago that IT IS
UNCERTAIN WHETHER ITS RECORDS ARE HISTORY OR LEGEND." Explaining away the
miraculous in the account of the burning bush, he comments, "One day he
(Moses) had a vision. In the shimmering heat of the desert, beneath the
blaze of that eastern sun, he saw a bush that SEEMED on fire, and the bush
was not consumed." He makes the fact of Elijah's victory on Mt. Carmel out
to be a mere legend, something like KING ARTHUR AND THE KNIGHTS OF THE
ROUND TABLE. ... "It is not strange that in the atmosphere of tradition and
LEGEND which gathers around heroic figures there should be this reflected
light. But the central matter is independent of these miraculous
occurrences." Concerning the three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace, he
says, "And then the old story tells the TRADITION of their miraculous
deliverance."
Clarence T. Craig--This translator has written a book entitled, The
Beginning Of Christianity, which sets forth his view of the inspiration of
the Bible. A careful study of his views will surely show us what a
dangerous position he takes in relation to the authority of God's Word. He
writes: "Revelation has sometimes been understood to consist in a holy
book. ... Even on Christian soil it is sometimes been held that the books
of the Bible were practically dictated to the writers through the Holy
Spirit. ... I do not think that this is the distinctively Christian
position. If God once wrote His revelation in an inerrant book, He
certainly failed to provide any means by which this could be passed on
without contamination through human fallibility. ... The true Christian
position is that the Bible CONTAINS the record of revelation."
Clarence T. Craig also writes: "TRADITIONS about Jesus were used to ground
the Christian faith." ... He also explains away the bodily resurrection of
Christ when he says: "It is to be remembered that there were no
eyewitnesses of the resurrection of Jesus. No canonical gospel presumed to
describe Jesus emerging from the tomb. The mere fact that a tomb was found
empty was capable of many explanations. The very last one that would be
credible to a modern man would be the explanation of a physical
resurrection of the body." In relation to the coming of our Lord he writes:
"In other words the coming of Christ is to the hearts of those who love
him. It is not a hope for some future time, but a present reality to
faith."
Frederick C. Grant--Frederick C. Grant, in a book co-authored by three
others, The Beginnings Of Our Religion, expresses his doubts regarding the
accuracy of the Bible: "We may admit at once that the older view of Jesus'
life and ministry WAS NOT ENTIRELY HISTORICAL." In another book he also
shows his BELIEF IN PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD: "It would seem that modern
thought ... demands that if prayer be real or effective at all it shall not
cease when those who have gone before advance, as by a bend in the road
beyond our sight ... must we cease to pray for them? The answer is CEASE
NOT TO PRAY! for they are living still, in this world or the other, and
still have need of prayers."
Willard L. Sperry--Willard L. Sperry, in his book, Rebuilding Our World,
quotes several passages of Scriptures and then adds: "Some of these
sayings, it is true, come from the Fourth Gospel (John), and we do not
press that Gospel for too great verbal accuracy in its record of the
sayings of Jesus."
William A. Irwin--Here is another translator who does not believe in the
record of God's Word. In his book, The Problem of Ezekiel, he takes
considerable time to discover how much Ezekiel wrote of the book and how
much of the writings are spurious. With reference to the words, "Therefore
thus saith the Lord," he states, "This phrase is an almost unfailing mark
of SPURIOUSNESS." THIS WRITER PUTS ZOROASTER AND OTHER HEATHEN PROPHETS ON
THE SAME BASIS AS MOSES, ISAIAH, AND OTHER BIBLE PROPHETS. In his revision
of J. M. Powis' book on The Prophets and Their Times he says: "Only bigotry
could bring us to deny an equal validity with the prophets of Israel in the
religious vision of men such as Zoroaster or Ikhnaton or, on a lower level,
the unnamed thinkers of ancient Babylonia." He also teaches progressive
revelation coming from men rather than from God: "The prophets were forced
by the disasters that befell to do some hard and painful thinking. They
were forced by the history of their own times to revise their messages
again and again in order to keep up with the progress of the age. THE
ASSYRIANS AND BABYLONIANS FORCED THEM TO REVISE THEIR CONCEPTION OF YAHWEH
FROM TIME TO TIME UNTIL THEY FINALLY MADE HIM GOD OF THE UNIVERSE."
Fleming James--This translator, who along with Frederick C. Grant, wrote
The Beginnings of Our Religion, has this to say about Moses' authorship of
the first five books of the Bible: "This idea has been shown by scholars to
be untenable on many grounds. The view that now prevails is that through
these five books there run four different strands of narrative which have
been pieced together to make the present story. ... Two are older and more
reliable as history, two proceed from a later time and are so coloured by
later ideas that they can hardly be called history at all." Regarding the
crossing the Red Sea he writes: "WHAT REALLY HAPPENED AT THE RED SEA WE CAN
NO LONGER KNOW." ... With reference to Elijah in II Kings 1, he writes:
"The narrative of calling down fire from heaven upon the soldiers sent to
arrest him is PLAINLY LEGENDARY."
Millar Burrows--This translator, in his book, Founders of Great Religions,
refers to the crossing of the Red Sea by Moses and the children of Israel
as "not necessarily miraculous." He says the pillar of cloud by day and the
pillar of fire by night was "a volcano far off on the eastern horizon, to
which they were guided by the smoke it emitted in the daytime and by its
red glow at night." ...In his book, Outline of Biblical Theology, he makes
a good summary of what the various translators believe concerning the
Bible: "We cannot take the Bible as a whole and in every part as stating
with divine authority what we must believe and do." <Perry Rockwood, The
Revised Standard Version (People's Gospel Hour), pgs. 4-10.>
For those not familiar with the wicked unbelief and blasphemy of men such
as these--men we call liberals, modernists, or apostates--these quotes are
probably shocking. Truly the prophecies of the Apostles regarding the
coming of unbelieving teachers and prophets into the churches are being
fulfilled as never before.
We can see that the Revised Standard Version was produced at least in large
part by men who were not even born of the Spirit, men who were unbelievers
and apostates. This fact alone is sufficient reason for rejecting their
work and the work of the Bible societies who promote this wicked
translation. The Bible commands in no uncertain terms that God's people
separate from those who are false in doctrine. Certainly this would involve
separating from any Bible texts or translations made by such men.
"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences
contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them." (Romans
16:17)
"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship
hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with
darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he
that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God
with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I
will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they
shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate,
saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall by my sons and daughters, saith
the Lord Almighty." (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)
"If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the
words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to
godliness ... from such withdraw thyself." (1 Timothy 6:3-5)
"O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and
vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called." (1 Timothy
6:20)
"But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more
ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus
and Philetus; who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the
resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. ... If a man
therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour,
sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good
work." (2 Timothy 2:16-21)
"Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn
away." (2 Timothy 3:5)
"Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp [unregenerate
religion], bearing his reproach." (Hebrews 13:13)
"Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath
not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father
and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine,
receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that
biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds." (2 John 9-11)
We will do well, brethren, to obey these commands of God and reject the
works of unbelieving and apostate men. That means, of course, that we must
have nothing to do with translations such as the Revised Standard Version.
These are the works of the devil. These verses also command that we
separate ourselves from the United Bible Societies and all who are involved
in such wicked work.
When we come to the section dealing with the Bible societies' affiliations
with the Roman Catholic Church, it will be seen that the Revised Standard
Version is often the basis for their so-called "interconfessional" Bible
translation projects.
THE TODAY'S ENGLISH VERSION
As we pointed out earlier, the Today's English Version (TEV) is owned by
the American Bible Society, which is a founding member of the United Bible
Societies. Almost half of the money for the annual operating budget of the
United Bible Societies comes from the American Bible Society. <Christian
News (Dec. 8, 1986), p. 22.> That the TEV is fully a United Bible Society
production is seen in the following notes:
"The Good News Bible extends to 1292 pages. ... The copyright of the whole
production, with the exception of the twelve maps, is owned by the American
Bible Society. ... The volume bears the imprint of `The Bible Societies,'
and includes a list of 99 societies." <Trinitarian Bible Society Quarterly
Record (Jan.-Mar., 1978), p. 16.>
"In September 1966, the American Bible Society published The New Testament
In Today's English Version, a translation intended for people everywhere
for whom English is either their mother tongue or an acquire language.
Shortly thereafter the United Bible Societies requested the American Bible
Society to undertake on its behalf a translation of the Old Testament
following the same principles. ... Final approval of the text on behalf of
the United Bible Societies was given by the American Bible Society's Board
of Managers upon recommendation of its Translations Department Committee."
<Preface, Good News Bible, edition published by Thomas Nelson Inc.,
publishers under license from the American Bible Society.>
The popularity of the Today's English Version (otherwise known as the Good
News for Modern Man) has been phenomenal. The New Testament portion of the
TEV was published in 1966. In its first three years it sold 17.5 million
copies. <Parade Magazine (Nov. 2, 1969).>By 1971 more than 30 million
copies of the TEV New Testament had been sold--in a period of only five
years from initial publication! <Jakob Van Bruggen, Future of the Bible
(1972), p. 19.>
In 1973 the TEV whole Bible was published and the popularity of this
paraphrase translation has continued unabated. From 1976 to 1987 the
American Bible Society had distributed more than 25 million copies of the
TEV Bible. <New Zealand Herald (Monday, May 4, 1987).> By 1987 the TEV New
Testament had sold more than 75 million copies. <Focus (Oct. 1986), p. 5.>
According to the Sowing Circle, a publication of the Bible Society of
India, the distribution of the TEV has averaged six million copies per
year. <Sowing Circle (Oct.-Dec. 1986), p. 2.> This would mean that roughly
150 million copies of this corrupted text have been distributed since 1966.
The Today's English Version has become the most popular text of Scripture
in Australia <Undated brochure distributed by the Bible House, Australian
Bible Society, Perth, West Australia, June 1988.> as well as in England.
<Word in Action (Spring 1986), p. 5.>
What Greek text was used for this new translation? The Preface to the
Thomas Nelson edition of the Good News Bible gives the answer: "The basic
text for the New Testament is The Greek New Testament published by the
United Bible Societies (3rd edition, 1975), but in a few instances the
translation is based on a variant reading supported by one or more Greek
manuscripts."
We have already seen that the UBS Greek New Testament was produced by
heretics. It represents the impure stream of corrupted texts.
APOSTATE TRANSLATOR ROBERT BRATCHER
The Today's English Version was translated primarily by Robert Bratcher.
Again, rather than giving a detailed analysis of this popular version of
the Bible, we will give some of the frightening facts about Robert
Bratcher's life and doctrinal beliefs. (For a more detailed analysis of the
Today's English Version and Robert Bratcher, we urge our readers to order A
Most Frightful Deception: The Today's English Version and Translator Robert
Bratcher. It is available from Way of Life Literature.)
Following the biblical principle that a bitter fountain cannot produce a
sweet stream, we know that if the translator of a version is a heretic his
version will be untrustworthy. For our look at Bratcher we will go back to
the early 1950s, when we find him doing missionary work for the Southern
Baptist Convention in Brazil.
While serving as professor of Greek and New Testament theology in a
Southern Baptist Seminary, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Dr. Bratcher edited the
"Questions and Answers" section of their paper, O Journal Batista. In this
paper, July 9, 1953, Bratcher was asked how to reconcile Matthew 24:36 with
John 14:9. His answer (in part): "This cannot mean however, that Christ
retained in his incarnation all the attributes of Deity; rather he freely
gave up those qualities he enjoyed in his eternal existence with the
Father." In a letter to Julius C. Taylor, July 16, 1970, Bratcher said, "Of
course I believe what I wrote in the Journal Batista of July 9, 1953."
<Donald T. Clarke, Bible Version Manual (Sunbury, Pennsylvania: Bible Truth
Institute, 1975), p. 95.>
Dr. Bratcher held a question and answer session October 13, 1970, at the
First Baptist church, Spartanburg, South Carolina. Following is one of the
questions and answers:
Question: "Is Jesus Christ God, or the same as God?"
Answer: "Jesus is not the same personality as God." <Clarke, op. cit., p.
98.>
We see that as early as 1953, continuing to 1970, Bratcher denied the deity
of the Lord Jesus Christ. This would easily explain the fact that the
Today's English Version perverts the most important passages which teach
that Jesus Christ is God.
Bratcher's most vicious attacks, though, have been against the Bible
itself. Isn't this an amazing testimony for a Bible translator! Consider
some of the public statements Bratcher has made in regard to the Bible:
"The New Testament scriptures were written to specific situations, at
specific times, to specific groups or individuals and in response to some
felt need. The New Testament writers probably never intended their work to
be the gospel record of the future--so there is not a sterile order to the
scriptures." <Robert Bratcher, The Baptist Courier (Feb. 22, 1968).>
On November 5, 1970, after a lecture at Furman University, Dr. Bratcher
talked with students:
"You admit that the Bible has fallacies; then how is it valuable?" a
student questioned. [Bratcher answered,] "IF WE BUILD OUR FAITH WHOLLY ON
THE BIBLE, THEN WE ARE BUILDING OUR FAITH ON SHIFTING SAND. We must follow
the facts or there is nothing to believe. We cannot literally follow Jesus,
only go in his direction." <The Greenville News (Greenville, South
Carolina, Nov. 8, 1970).>
Though Bratcher's apostasy was evident before he translated the Today's
English Version, little was known publicly about the man until 1981. In
that year Bratcher made some statements at a Southern Baptist Life
Commission seminar which were given close media attention.
According to Religious News Service, Bratcher cautioned those attending the
seminar "not to speak in naive fashion about the authority of the Bible"
since "only God's authority is inerrant." This is typical modernistic
doublespeak. Bratcher "advised Christians against using isolated verses to
affirm `the Bible says'." <Foundation (Fundamental Evangelistic
Association, Mar.-Apr. 1981).> Faith for the Family reported that
Bratcher's remarks in Dallas, Texas, included this statement: "ONLY WILLFUL
IGNORANCE OR INTELLECTUAL DISHONESTY CAN ACCOUNT FOR THE CLAIM THAT THE
BIBLE IS INERRANT AND INFALLIBLE ... To invest the Bible with the qualities
of inerrancy and infallibility is to idolatrize it, to transform it into a
false god. <Faith for the Family (Greenville: Bob Jones University, Sep.
1981).>
Further quotes from Bratcher's speech were printed in the Baptist Press
report written by Dan Martin, news editor, and printed in the Baptist
Courier:
"Often in the past and still too often in the present TO AFFIRM THAT THE
BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD IMPLIES THAT THE WORDS OF THE BIBLE ARE THE WORDS
OF GOD. SUCH SIMPLISTIC AND ABSOLUTE TERMS DIVEST THE BIBLE ALTOGETHER OF
ITS HUMANITY and remove it from the relativism of the historical process.
NO ONE SERIOUSLY CLAIMS ALL THE WORDS OF THE BIBLE ARE THE VERY WORDS OF
GOD. If someone does so it is only because that person is not willing
thoroughly to explore its implications. ...
"THE WORD OF GOD IS NOT WORDS; it is a human being, a human life ...
Quoting what the Bible says in the context of its history and culture is
not necessarily relevant or helpful--and may be a hindrance in trying to
meet and solve the problems we face. ...
"We are not bound by the letter of Scripture, but by the spirit. EVEN WORDS
SPOKEN BY JESUS IN ARAMAIC IN THE THIRTIES OF THE FIRST CENTURY AND
PRESERVED IN WRITING IN GREEK, 35 TO 50 YEARS LATER, DO NOT NECESSARILY
WIELD COMPELLING AUTHORITY OVER US TODAY. THE FOCUS OF SCRIPTURAL AUTHORITY
IS NOT THE WORDS THEMSELVES. It is Jesus Christ as the Word of God who is
the authority for us to be and to do.
"As a biblical scholar, I VIEW WITH DISMAY THE MISUSE OF SCRIPTURES BY
FUNDAMENTALISTS; as ... Christians we listen with alarm to the simple-
minded diagnoses and the simplistic panaceas proposed with smug self-
assurance by Moral Majority people intent on curing the evils of this age."
<Baptist Courier (Greenville: South Carolina Baptist Convention, Apr. 2,
1981).>
Here, then, we have the strange matter of a Bible translator who believes
faith in the Bible is "shifting sand" and who utterly despises the doctrine
that the Bible is the perfect, holy, inspired Word of God.
DIDN'T THE BIBLE SOCIETY FIRE BRATCHER?
The Bible Society was deeply embarrassed by Bratcher's remarks and lost
funding because of it. Thus they made a public apology, and Bratcher
resigned in June of 1981. That this was only a political move, though, is
seen in that Bratcher's apostate translation is still distributed by the
UBS, and many other modernists whose views are just as wicked as Bratcher's
continue to work for the Bible societies. Further, Bratcher himself still
works with the United Bible Societies as a chief translation's consultant!
<Bulletin of the United Bible Societies (No. 138-139, 1985).>
In light of what we have seen about Bratcher's life and beliefs it is not
surprising to learn that his translation is perverted. For instance, in
several important passages the TEV weakens the doctrine of Christ's deity.
See the TEV translation of John 1:1; Philippians 2:6; 1 Timothy 3:16; 6:14-
16; Acts 20:28; Colossians 2:3; and Colossians 2:9 for examples. Also, in
at least 12 passages, the TEV deletes the word "blood," referring to the
precious blood of Christ which was shed for our sins and without which
"there is no remission of sin." See the TEV translation of Acts 20:28;
Romans 3:25; Romans 5:9; Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 2:13; Colossians 1:14;
Colossians 1:20; Hebrews 12:4; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 1:19; Revelation 1:5;
and Revelation 5:9. The Bible societies accept Bratcher's argument that to
replace the word "blood" with the word "death" in these passages makes no
difference in meaning or doctrine. Hebrews 9:22 gives answer to that lie by
reminding us that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of
sin. Christ's death was not sufficient in itself to atone for our sins; He
had to shed His blood as well. Therefore, when speaking of Christ's
atonement, it is wicked to replace the word "blood" with the word "death."
Romans chapter five verses nine and ten explain the matter properly. Verse
nine says we are justified through Christ's blood, and verse ten says we
are reconciled through Christ's death. In other words, we are saved through
the bloody death of Christ. Both were required for the Atonement. Only an
unholy mind and unholy hands would make such a change in God's holy Word.
There are many other wicked changes which have been made in this unfaithful
version. For those who are interested, detailed studies are readily
available. We have listed some of these on the back cover of this book. And
yet the United Bible Societies are distributing millions of copies of this
translation throughout the world. This is a very wicked thing. The
Christians in many of the countries where the Bible societies are working
are mostly uneducated and very poorly grounded in doctrine. They lack the
tools with which to discern the errors in the TEV and often do not have
properly trained leaders who can protect them from perversions. The result
is the weakening of the faith of multitudes of people. But what else can we
expect when unholy hands handle God's holy Book!
Ever since God began to speak to men through His prophets, God's people
have considered the prophet's word infallible, inerrant, perfect. Jesus
said even the very smallest details of the Scriptures are perfect and will
be fulfilled (Matthew 5:17-18). He said the Scriptures cannot be broken,
meaning they are unchangeable and infallible (John 10:35). Paul said, "All
Scripture is given by inspiration of God" (2 Timothy 3:16). Peter said,
"Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God
spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost" (2 Peter 1:20-21). Luke, the
writer of the book of Acts, reminds us that the words of the Psalmists are
not man's words, but God's Words! (Acts 4:25). In Psalm 12:6-7 we are told
very definitely that God's Words are absolutely perfect and pure and that
God preserves His Word in pure form to every generation--and this includes
the twentieth century! The prophet David, in Psalm 19 and 119 exalts and
glorifies the Word of God, the Scriptures, in the highest way, testifying,
"Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.
Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and
I hate very false way" (Psalm 119:127,128).
Any concept of biblical inspiration lower than this is evil, false,
apostate. And any man or society who promotes a fallible view of biblical
inspiration is to be treated as apostate. These are to be marked and
avoided in obedience to the Word of God which they deny! Dr. Bratcher and
his companions in the Bible societies who hold similar views are evil false
teachers, wolves in sheep's clothing, and should be dismissed from their
churches and denominations as such. It is sad that the Christians with whom
they are associated are so weak, so compromising, so fearful of man that
they will not do this. May God help us to have the courage to obey His
Word.
Thus far we have seen that the early buds of apostasy within the United
Bible Societies have come into full blossom. This is reflected in their
Greek New Testament, in their promotion of the Revised Standard Version,
and in their ownership and distribution of the Today's English Version. It
is also reflected in the New English Version, perhaps the worse Bible
Society perversion of all.
THE NEW ENGLISH BIBLE
This final translation we will consider, the New English Bible, was
produced by an ecumenical group of Protestants and Roman Catholics in
Britain in the 1940s and '50s. The New Testament portion was first
published in 1961, and the entire Bible in 1970.
The question you might ask is, What does the New English Bible have to do
with the United Bible Societies? The answer is given in the introductory
pages of this version, where we read:
"The Bible, A New English Translation, planned and directed by
representatives of ... The British and Foreign Bible Society. The National
Bible Society of Scotland."
From the very earliest stages of the planning and translation, these two
member bodies of the United Bible Societies were involved in the production
of the New English Bible. And again we will see the imprint of their unholy
hands upon this translation.
To help our readers understand just how vile the New English Bible is we
will quote from Pastor M. L. Moser's discerning review of the NEB Old
Testament. Pastor Moser is the editor of The Baptist Challenge and oversees
the Challenge Press. The New English Bible is based upon the same corrupted
Greek text as the RSV and the Today's English Version. Therefore it goes
without saying that the New Testament portion of the New English Bible
perverts the same verses, phrases, and words as these other two
translations. For this reason, we will focus on the Old Testament section
of the New English Bible:
"Let us look now at some of the Old Testament passages of Scripture which
are predictive of the coming Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, and see how
The New English Bible has changed the translation so as to remove its
application to the Messiah.
"Genesis 3:15--The King James Version reads: `And I will put enmity between
thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy
head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.'
"The New English Bible reads: `I will put enmity between you and the woman,
between your brood and hers. They shall strike at your head, and you shall
strike at their heel.'
"The translation of the NEB completely destroys the prediction here
concerning the coming Messiah as the special `seed of the woman,' which
certainly refers to Jesus Christ. The reference to the `seed of the woman'
makes it unique for in all other references it is always `the seed of
David,' not the seed of Sarah or the seed of Bathsheba. Also, the whole
idea of the cross is removed by changing the words `His heel' to `their
heel.' By changing the words `it' or `he' to `they,' the verse is altered
entirely and no longer speaks of Christ. It also eliminates the doctrine of
the Virgin Birth of Christ. ...
"Isaiah 9:6--The King James Version reads: `For unto us a child is born,
unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and
his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, the
everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.'
"The New English Bible reads: `For a boy has been born for us, a son given
to us to bear the symbol of dominion on his shoulder, and he shall be
called in purpose wonderful, in battle God-like, Father for all time,
Prince of Peace.'
"The New English Bible here has so weakened the meaning of this verse in
reference to the Deity of Jesus Christ, that He no longer bears the name of
`Wonderful,' and they have changed `The mighty God' into `in battle God-
like.' Of the five wonderful titles of our Lord in this verse, three are
completely taken away without any textual reason whatsoever.
"Micah 5:2--The King James Version reads: `But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah,
though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall
he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth
have been from of old, from everlasting.'
"The New English Bible reads: `But you, Bethlehem in Ephrathah, small as
you are to be among Judah's clans, out of you shall come forth a governor
of Israel, one whose roots are far back in the past, in days gone by.'
"The eternal pre-existence of Christ is here denied since the NEB seeks to
give an origin to Christ. It limits Christ to days and to time rather than
depicting Christ as eternal, for the Scriptures say that Christ is from
everlasting to everlasting God.
"Psalm 45:6--The King James Version reads: `Thy throne, O God, is for ever
and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.'
"The New English Bible reads: `Your throne is like God's throne, eternal,
your royal sceptre a sceptre of righteousness.'
"You will note in the King James Version that the one seated upon the
throne is called God, saying "O God," while the NEB version further weakens
the Deity of Christ by simply saying that the throne is `like God's
throne.' This again eliminates another of the Messianic prophecies and
Scriptures of the Old Testament and these translators, by refusing to
translate this verse properly, have once again rejected Christ as God.
"Zechariah 13:6--The King James Version reads: `And one shall say unto him,
What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with
which I was wounded in the house of my friends.'
"The New English Bible reads: `What,' someone will ask, `are these scars on
your chest?' And he will answer, `I got them in the house of my lovers.'
"Psalm 69:21--The King James Version reads: `They gave me also gall for my
meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.'
"The New English Bible reads: `They put poison in my food and gave me
vinegar when I was thirsty.'
"They did no such thing. Even the NEB itself contradicts this in Matthew
27:34. It was `gall' which they attempted to give Him. This is another
attempt by Satan to destroy the death of Christ by His shedding His blood,
and make His death one by food poisoning.
"Psalm 22:16--The King James Version reads: `For dogs have compassed me:
the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my
feet.'
"The New English Bible reads: `The huntsmen are all about me; a band of
ruffians rings me round, and they have hacked off my hands and my feet.'
"In this passage the NEB strikes a blow at the Messianic prophecy, for
their translation is in direct contradiction to the Scripture which says `A
bone of him shall not be broken.' (John 19:36). It appears that the aim of
the NEB is to remove the cross entirely from all Old Testament prophecies.
[The NEB destroys this marvelous prophecy of Christ's cruifixion.]
"Isaiah 53:9--The King James Version reads: `And he made his grave with the
wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence,
neither was any deceit in his mouth.'
"The New English Bible reads: `He was assigned a grave with the wicked, a
burial-place among the refuse of mankind, though he had done no violence
and spoken no word of treachery.'
"This passage has historically been considered as a prophecy referring to
the death and burial of the Lord Jesus Christ. When Pilate sentenced the
Lord to be crucified between two thieves, it was undoubtedly assumed by
both Pilate and the Jews that He would be buried among wicked men. However,
Joseph of Arimathaea secured permission from Pilate to bury the body of
Jesus in his own sepulchre, all in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy that
after His death He was to be buried in the tomb of a rich man. ... The
translators of the NEB changed this verse so that it is no longer prophetic
and declares that Jesus had `a burial place among the refuse of mankind'
which is simply not true.
"Psalm 2:12--The King James Version reads: `Kiss the Son, lest he be angry,
and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed
are all they that put their trust in him.'
"The New English Version reads: `Kiss the king, lest the Lord be angry and
you are struck down in mid course; for his anger flares up in a moment.
Happy are all who find refuge in him.'
"[You can see how the translators of the NEB again deny Christ by their
perversion of this verse. They replace the specific word `Son' with the
general term `king,' which could refer to any king. In this way a powerful
messianic prophecy is rendered impotent by the unholy hands of these
translators.]
"Genesis 49:10--The King James Version reads: `The sceptre shall not depart
from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and
unto him shall the gathering of the people be.'
"The New English Bible reads: `The sceptre shall not pass from Judah, nor
the staff from his descendants, so long as tribute is brought to him and
the obedience of the nations is his.'
"[The NEB translation robs this verse of its prophetic foreview of Christ's
second coming and the regathering of Israel.]" <M.L. Moser, Jr., The New
English Bible (Little Rock, Arkansas: Challenge Press, 1971), pgs. 25-29.>
This should be sufficient to show that the New English Bible is indeed
vile. Thorough studies of this version are available for those who are
interested. But this should be enough. These changes in the Word of God are
shocking. Obviously the men involved were unbelievers and the entire
translation was the work of the devil and not of God. Well did the Lord
Jesus Christ say of the false teachers that they are of their father the
devil (John 8:44)! And the Apostle Paul, speaking of the same kind of men,
said, "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming
themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is
transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his
ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end
shall be according to their works" (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).
Are we being too harsh in our judgment of the men who produced the New
English Bible? Some would probably think so even after reading the vile
renderings of the verses we have quoted from the translation. Some might
argue, "Yes, the renderings of the Old Testament passages you have quoted
from the New English Bible are seriously corrupted, but this does not
necessarily mean the translators were false teachers." There is a law,
though, which runs throughout life--the law of cause and effect. Like
produces like. Jesus mentioned it in Matthew 7:17 in reference to false
teachers: "Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so
every good tree bringeth forth good fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth
evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit" (Matthew
7:16-18). This is why we are justified in the method we are using to
analyze Bible translations. If we review the translation itself and see its
character--whether pure, careless, apostate, or whatever--we can then make
an accurate judgment of that version's translators even if we know nothing
about them other than what we see in their work. Likewise, if we study the
life and doctrine of a translator, we can make an accurate judgment of this
translation even without looking at the actual translation.
C. H. DODD--ANOTHER APOSTATE TRANSLATOR
As an illustration of the marvelous truth of this law--that "every good
tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil
fruit"--we will now turn the light of our review of the New English Bible
upon the man who was the chief overseer of the project. After reading some
facts about this man's doctrinal beliefs, it should be clear that we have
not been unjust or unduly harsh in our judgments.
In the preface to the New English Bible, 1970 edition, we read: "As Vice-
Chairman and Director, C. H. Dodd has from start to finish given
outstanding scholarship, sensitivity, and an ever watchful eye." The late
C. H. Dodd, then, is the man we will look at. The writings of this man give
insight regarding why the New English Bible is so perverted. C. H. Dodd was
an unbelieving heretic! Again we will quote from Pastor Moser's study. By
the way, C. H. Dodd was vice-president of the British and Foreign Bible
Society, a founding member of the United Bible Societies.
"C. H. Dodd is well known for his liberalism. ... He has not hesitated to
publish his unbelief, and his books reveal that he rejects the Bible as the
infallible Word of God and has taken the typical position of the
modernistic unbeliever. In his book, The Bible Today, he says that the Old
Testament `contains incongruities and contradictions, not merely in matters
of fact, but in spiritual outlook and moral evaluation.'" (p. 10)
"In this same book he insists that Christianity gradually evolved in the
minds of men. He also takes issue with what Christ said regarding the
authorship of the Pentateuch saying, `The first chapter of Genesis is a
relatively late composition. We have in the second chapter an earlier, and
cruder Hebrew story of creation. The account in the first chapter was
written after the prophets had done their great work toward a purer and
more spiritual religion.' (p. 30)
"In the same book Dodd also rejects the Scriptural doctrine of the Last
Judgment. He says: `Creation, the Fall of Man, the Deluge and the Building
of Babel are symbolic myths. The Last Judgment and the End of the World, it
they are not in the strict sense myths, have a similar symbolic character.'
(p. 112)
"From his book, The Authority of the Bible, we have the following
quotations: `It has long ago become clear that in claiming for the Bible
accuracy in matters of science and history its apologists had chosen a
hopeless position to defend.' (p. 13) `God is the Author, not of the Bible,
but of the life in which the authors of the Bible partake and of which they
tell in such imperfect human words as they could command.' (pgs. 16-17)
`The Old Testament contains not only the epoch-making writings of the great
prophets, but legends and traditions which reflect the elementary piety of
the common man.' (p. 139)
"In this same book he says the Book of Revelation is `Sub-Christian,' that
Moses was simply a legendary figure and that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ
was not wholly rational. `The most downright claims to infallibility are
made by the apocalyptists, as for example, in the New Testament
Revelation ... a book which some of the early Church wished to exclude from
the Canon, and which as a whole is sub-Christian in tone and outlook.' (p.
15) `Moses has left us no writings, and we know little of him with
certainty. But it is scarcely questionable that the Hebrew religion, before
the time when its literature begins, had felt the impulse of some
tremendous personality. Tradition calls him Moses, and so may we. We are
not, however, in direct touch with him, but only with men who drew their
inspiration from the impulse he communicated.' (p. 27) `For indeed the bare
idea of vicarious expiation [the substitutionary death of Christ in the
place of sinners] is not wholly rational, and easily lends itself to
fanaticism. After all, if God demands the suffering of one in order that
the sins of others may be forgiven, a meaning is found for suffering, but
at the expense of the rationality of God for which the prophets contended
so vigorously.' (p. 215)
"Other excerpts from this book, The Authority of the Bible, are: `Moses was
a magician, a medicine man, whose magic wand wrought wonders of deliverance
and destruction. ... To separate history from legend in the stories of his
career is impossible and not very profitable.' (p. 45)
"From Dodd's book The Bible Today, come the following quotations: `The
famous `whale' or sea monster, is no zoological specimen. The ancient
monster of chaos, the dragon of darkness, was a familiar figure in several
mythologies of the ancient world.' (p. 17)
"With the above quotations set before us, we see the prejudice of Dr. C. H.
Dodd against the Bible. His words are blasphemous, yet this is the man who
was selected to be the chairman of the translation committee. A man of this
belief is not to be trusted with the Word of God. Anyone who takes such a
position toward the Bible could not be trusted to bring forth a reliable
translation. Jesus said in Matthew 7:18, `A good tree cannot bring forth
evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.' THE
TRANSLATORS OF A BOOK ARE VERY IMPORTANT, FOR THE BIAS OR PREJUDICE OF THE
TRANSLATOR WILL INFLUENCE HIM IN HIS TRANSLATION. THIS IS VERY EVIDENT IN
THE TRANSLATION OF THE NEW ENGLISH BIBLE. ...
"The New English Bible is just one example of what happens to the Bible
when the modernist defiles it with his dirty hands. You cannot trust a
modernist to be the translator of the Word of God. E. L. Bynum, pastor of
the Tabernacle Baptist Church of Lubbock, Texas, has well said: `We might
as well trust a lunatic for a lawyer, a quack for a physician, a wolf for a
sheep dog, an alligator for a baby sitter, a rapist as a Girl Scout leader,
or a communist for our President. No modernist can be trusted with the
translation of the Word of God, or the proclamation of the Word of God!'
"The Bible is replete with warnings about such men who `handle the word of
God deceitfully' (2 Corinthians 4:2), and we are warned to beware of such
men. <Moser, The New English Bible, pgs. 61-68.>
Another little fact to ponder: C. H. Dodd believes that all men will
eventually be saved. A quote from his own book follows: "The logic of the
biblical revelation seems to demand an equal universality for the final
`restoration of all things' ... every human being is ultimately destined,
in His mercy, to eternal life." <C.H. Dodd, The Bible Today, pgs. 118-119.>
For member bodies of the United Bible Societies to be in fellowship with
such apostasy inexcusable. Again, the Spirit-given words of Amos cry out,
"Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" (Amos 3:3).
This should be proof enough that no believer should have anything
whatsoever to do with these apostate societies. Have we forgotten the vivid
warning of the destruction which shall come upon apostate men such as C. H.
Dodd? To show their condemnation even more clearly, we will quote from
their own translation. They have condemned themselves in their own
translation!
"But Israel had false prophets as well as true; and you likewise will have
false teachers among you. They will import disastrous heresies, disowning
the very Master who bought them, and bringing swift disaster on their own
heads ... But the judgment long decreed for them has not been idle;
perdition waits for them with unsleeping eyes. God did not spare the angels
who sinned, but consigned them to the dark pits of hell, where they are
reserved for judgment. He did not spare the world of old ... but brought
the deluge upon that world of godless men. The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah
God burned to ashes, and condemned them to total destruction, making them
an object-lesson for godless men in future days. ... These men are like
brute beasts, born in the course of nature to be caught and killed. They
pour abuse upon things they do not understand; like the beasts they will
perish, suffering hurt for the hurt they have inflicted. To carouse in
broad daylight is their idea of pleasure; while they sit with you at the
table they are an ugly blot on your company, because they revel in their
own deceptions. ... God's curse is on them! ... These men are springs that
give no water, mists driven by a storm; the place reserved for them is
blackest darkness." (2 Peter 2:3-18, New English Bible)
Obviously I have not quoted from the New English Bible to show my approval
of its translation. Even in the verses quoted from 2 Peter chapter 2 there
are many mistranslations when compared to a faithful translation such as
the King James Bible. Yet even though the late C. H. Dodd and company have
not given a pure translation of 2 Peter chapter 2, they have given a
translation accurate enough to show their own frightful end--"the place
reserved them is blackest darkness." Do you see, though, that these
translators have left something out of this phrase? The King James Version
reads thus, "to whom the mist of darkness IS RESERVED FOREVER." Perhaps the
word "forever" was just too frightful for these Christ-denying heretics. So
they simply left it out! But the heretic's eraser does not change the
preserved Word of God. The destruction of heretics is the mist of darkness
FOREVER!
May God's people be careful not to be found in fellowship with or in
support of these wicked men, or found using their perverted Greek texts and
Bible translations: the Revised Standard Version, the Today's English
Version, or the New English Bible.
CHAPTER FOUR
THE BIBLE SOCIETIES AND ECUMENISM
- *** "[The American Bible Society meeting was] one of the most widely
representative Christian gatherings in the U.S.A., or possibly in the
entire world and included a Roman Catholic archbishop as speaker and on
panel had a Seventh-day Adventist. There were representatives from 46
different denominations, including Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and even
a Christian Scientist." --Plains Baptist Challenger, September 1982 ****
It should come as no surprise by now that the Bible societies refuse to
practice what the Bible commands in reference to separation from error and
evil. Since they themselves are filled with error, it would be silly to
expect them to separate from other groups which are apostate. But just for
the record we will give some examples of how the United Bible Societies are
in the very center of today's unscriptural ecumenical movement.
"The Bible societies' policy regarding cooperation with various Christian
bodies was outlined in a booklet published by the American Bible Society in
1970. "At that time there were 49 constituent member societies, each being
fully autonomous in its own country and sharing with all the others in
formulating global policy. ... Referring to the interdenominational
character of the Bible societies, the article states that `their sole
concern is to recruit every believer, WHATEVER HIS PRIVATE CREED MAY BE,'
to join in the urgent task of proclaiming the Gospel in every tongue. ...
The Societies `endeavor to serve the whole Church of Christ IRRESPECTIVE OF
denominational divisions and CREDAL [DOCTRINAL] DISTINCTIONS.'"
<Trinitarian Bible Society Quarterly Record (Jan.-Mar., 1979), pgs. 13-14.>
The Bible societies have thus acknowledged that they are unconcerned about
doctrinal beliefs. How strange for those who supposedly are so very
burdened for the distribution of the Bible to be absolutely unconcerned
about the teachings of the Bible! I find this very strange indeed. Yes, I
realize I've already said this, but I am constrained to repeat it! Don't
you find it strange, too, dear friend?
Illustrations of the ecumenical activities of the Bible societies and
heretical beliefs of its members are easy to find. We have already
considered the doctrinal heresy of several of the men who have been leaders
in the Bible societies. A few more examples will emphasize the point.
Consider:
"Norwegian theologian Gunnar Johan Stalsett, 50, is the new general
secretary of the Lutheran World Federation. ... He has been general
secretary of the Norwegian Bible Society. ... He is a member of the central
and executive committees of the World Council of Churches, and of the
general and executive committees of the United Bible Societies."
<Ecumenical Press Service (Feb. 10-12, 1985).>
Here we have a man who is a high leader in the United Bible Societies and
at the same time a leader in the totally apostate World Council of
Churches.
In most countries you will find the Bible societies in the very center of
any ecumenical adventure, especially in national councils and fellowships.
Hundreds of examples could be given. Consider the following and remember
that this is perfectly typical for Bible societies around the world:
"The ecumenical Council of Churches in Jamaica includes Anglicans,
Baptists, Roman Catholics, Methodists, Presbyterians, Congregationalists,
United Church of Jamaica, Moravians, Salvation Army, Disciples of Christ,
African Methodist Episcopal, Quakers, Church Women United, YMCA, YWCA,
Student Christian Movement, and the Bible Society of the West Indies."
<Foundation (Volume V, Issue 1, 1984), p. 19.>
Here we have an illustration of today's ecumenicism at work in Jamaica. In
one happy pot we see the Catholics with their multitudes of heresies, the
Baptists, the Anglicans (surveys show that no more than one fourth of
Anglican priests preach the Gospel), the Disciples of Christ (who, like the
Anglicans and Catholics, teach baptismal regeneration), pacifistic Quakers
with their strange doctrines and practices based on mysticism and emotion,
the revolutionary World Council of Churches' Church Women United, the
radical Student Christian Movement which is almost wholly given over to
liberation theology--and right in the midst of this theolgical confusion is
the Bible Society.
According to the policy statement quoted earlier, the reason the Bible
societies ignore the doctrinal beliefs of those they work with is to be
able to proclaim the Gospel as widely as possible. This, of course, is an
idea held commonly among Christian groups today, but it is dangerous
thinking. It's a wonderful thing to preach the Gospel, but we must ask,
"What gospel are you preaching?" The Bible warns that there are false
gospels and that these false gospels result in cursing, not blessing
(Galatians 1). If we ignore the doctrinal beliefs of those with whom we
work it is absolutely impossible to fulfill Christ's Great Commission. The
will of Christ is that only the one true Gospel of grace be proclaimed, but
many groups with whom the Bible societies work preach false gospels. Many
of the Bible societies' own leaders preach false gospels. Further, the
Great Commission does not end with the proclamation of the Gospel. Those
who believe are to be taught "all things whatsoever I have commanded you"
(Matthew 28:18-20). How can we do this when we are working with those who
teach many doctrines which are contrary to Christ's commands!
Another illustration of the Bible societies' ecumenical endeavors is seen
in the following report of a meeting of the American Bible Society:
"[The American Bible Society meeting was] one of the most widely
representative Christian gatherings in the U.S.A., or possibly in the
entire world and included a Roman Catholic archbishop as speaker and on
panel had a Seventh-day Adventist. There were representatives from 46
different denominations, including Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox and even
a Christian Scientist." <Plains Baptist Challenger (Sep. 1982).>
Notice that a Christian Scientist was in attendance at this American Bible
Society meeting. Christian Scientists deny practically every teaching of
Christianity and the Bible. They deny the Triune God, the deity of Christ,
the inspiration, preservation and sufficiency of Scripture, the reality of
heaven and hell and the devil; they deny the fallen condition of man and
his need for the new birth; they deny that Jesus Christ died for man's
sins. But we have already seen that the Bible societies care nothing for
pure doctrine.
GREEK ORTHODOX
Notice, too, that Greek Orthodox were in attendance at the Bible society
meeting. The Bible societies often work closely with the Greek Orthodox
churches. For those who might not be familiar with the teachings of the
Orthodox church, consider that Orthodoxy preaches a false gospel. According
to Orthodox teaching, baptism (even of infants) is the means whereby an
individual is born into Christ and becomes a Christian. This false gospel
is quoted from one of their own publications:
"Baptism is a new birth. It is being born to the life made new by our Lord
Jesus Christ. It means to be alive in Christ. ... Through Holy Baptism all
become Christ's. We become Christians and have the opportunity to inherit
God's Kingdom. Why in the world would any parents who claim to be
Christians want to put off making their offspring Christians as soon as
possible? Don't they want their infants to share in the Kingdom of God? The
baptized one becomes a member of Christ's body--His Church." <One Church
(Russian Orthodox Church, 1981).>
The Orthodox Church also advocates prayers to and for the dead, and the
false, wicked idea that the living can aid in the salvation of the deceased
through good works:
"But the soul of the deceased is aided by the prayers of the Church, of all
those who knew and loved him, and also by acts of charity carried out for
his sake. By doing good works for the sake of those who are dead, we are,
as it were, completing what they left undone, paying their debts and
offering our own sacrifice to the Merciful Lord on their behalf." <The
Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate (No. 10, 1976).>
In the Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate, No. 4, 1980, we find the
following false teachings about Mary, salvation, and the Lord's Supper:
"When one asserts his faith in the Son of God, the Son of the Ever Virgin
Mary, the Mother of God, [note the false Catholic doctrines that Mary is
the Mother of God and a perpetual virgin, meaning that she had no other
children after Jesus] he accepts first of all the words of faith into his
heart, confesses them orally, sincerely repents of his former sins and
washes them away in the sacrament of Baptism. Then God the Word enters the
baptized one, as though into the womb of the Blessed Virgin and remains in
him like a seed. ... By partaking of the Holy Eucharist, a Christian is
made one with Christ." <Foundation (Nov.-Dec. 1980), p. 21.>
From these quotes it is obvious that the Orthodox Church is entirely
apostate. It holds the same basic set of false beliefs as the Roman
Catholic Church from which it broke away in the ninth century.
MICHAEL RAMSEY
The liberalism and unscriptural relationships of the Bible societies is
also seen in the fact that former Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael Ramsey,
was a president of the United Bible Societies. This man denied many of the
Bible's most important teachings and was also a leader in the back-to-Rome
movement in the Anglican Church. For example, he was president of the
United Bible Societies when their conference was held in Driebergen in
Holland in 1964.
"[This] Conference encouraged the preparation of a common text [referring
to a joint endeavor between the United Bibles Societies and the Roman
Catholic Church] in the original languages, and common translations of the
Bible that may be published either in common [with the Roman Catholic
Church] or separately as circumstances may require." <"The Bible
Societies," Trinitarian Bible Society Quarterly Record (Jan.-Mar. 1979),
pgs. 13-14.>
In 1966, two years after this Bible society conference, Archbishop Ramsey,
who was also one of the World Council of Churches Presidents, made a visit
to the Pope in an effort to rebuild bridges to Rome. Apart from Ramsey's
predecessor, Geoffrey Fisher, no Archbishop of Canterbury had called on a
Pope since 1397, long before Henry VIII broke with Rome.
Ramsey addressed the Pope as, "Your Holiness, dear brother in Christ," and
as his main point said, "It is only as the world sees us Christians growing
visibly in unity that it will accept through us the divine message of
peace." Pope Paul replied, describing the meeting as a rebuilding of "a
bridge that for centuries had lain fallen between the Church of Rome and
Canterbury; a bridge of respect, of esteem and charity." The two men sealed
the symbolic reconciliation of the churches by a "kiss of peace"--actually
an embrace. The Anglican bishops and clergy of Canterbury's retinue bowed
to kiss the Pope's ring. <Don Stanton, Mystery Babylon (Secunderabad:
Maranatha Revival Crusade, Apr. 1981).>
The following year, 1967, Ramsey visited the United States. At one meeting
in Little Rock, Arkansas, he mentioned his meeting with the pope and
described it in this way:
"The Pope and I walked arm in arm out in St. Peter's Basilica and there we
bowed and dedicated ourselves in a common dedication, the task of unifying
the church. We did not mean we were going to unify the Anglican Church and
the Catholic Church only, but we meant we were going to unify all
Christendom and all the churches of the world. By unifying them, we did not
mean just establishing diplomatic recognition among denominations, but we
were going to unify all of them into one church. That is the task that is
before us today, to unify all Christendom into the Holy Catholic Church."
<Michael Ramsey, former Archbishop of Canterbury, speaking at Christ
Episcopal Church, Little Rock, Arkansas, Sep. 15, 1967, quoted by M.L.
Moser, Jr., Ecumenicalism Under the Spotlight (Challenge Press), pgs. 22-
23.>
In 1972, Ramsey made ecclesiastical history by preaching in Manhattan's
Roman Catholic St. Patrick's cathedral at a service attended by Terence
Cardinal Cook and Archbishop Lakovos of the Greek Orthodox Church of North
and South America. The Archbishop commented, "I can foresee the day when
all Christians might accept the Pope as the Presiding Bishop." <Stanton,
op. cit.>
These unscriptural ecumenical activities of Ramsey, a former president of
the UBS, illustrate the things which are happening in the Bible societies.
We repeat, the Societies have absolutely no concern for doctrinal purity.
Regarding Ramsey's own personal doctrinal beliefs, we could mention the
fact that according to a report in London's Daily Mail, he "denied the
Virgin Birth of Christ, and said, `Heaven is not a place for Christians
only. ... I expect to see many present day atheists there'." <Daily Mail
(London, Feb. 10, 1961).>
This man was even happy when a meeting was held in 1968 and the majority of
460 bishops of the Church of England voted that it is no longer required
that leaders in the church be required to believe the Church's doctrinal
statement!
The Church of England has been noted for its Thirty-nine Articles of
Religion, which have been the backbone of Anglicanism across the centuries.
The Religious News Service, August 30, 1968, reported the action taken by
the 1968 Lambeth Conference in London:
"Assent to the 39 Articles--the Church of England's code of doctrine--is no
longer to be required for clergy ordination. ... The decision was taken
when the 460 Bishops--not without some division--approved an amendment to a
resolution moved by Bishop George Luxton of Huron, Canada. He called assent
to the Articles `theological smog' and `double talk'. ARCHBISHOP MICHAEL
RAMSEY, titular head of the Church [and president of the United Bible
Societies], SAID HE `WAS VERY GLAD' THAT THE CONFERENCE HAD ENDORSED THE
`VALUABLE REPORT' drawn by the Commission AND THAT HE, HIMSELF, `TOOK A
RATHER MORE RADICAL LINE THAT THE REPORT DID'." <Harold Lindsell, The
Battle for the Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1980).>
The picture that emerges is this: While undermining the doctrinal position
of this own "church," Ramsey was busy trying to bring it under bondage to
the oppressive Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches. With men such as
this at the helm, you can understand why the United Bible Societies have
taken the direction they have in this century. Wise men will not be found
on such an unsound vessel!
"Nine British Protestant churches almost immediately adopted the New
English Bible in a colorful ceremony in Westminster Abbey. Amidst trumpet
fanfares and under the glare of television lights, Queen Elizabeth ...
watched church leaders receive their copies of the new translation. Charles
H. Dodd, the director of the 24-year project, handed copies of the new
Bible, carried in by scholars of Westminster School, to Archbishop Ramsey
of Canterbury and leaders of other churches." <Moser, The New English
Bible, p. 8.>
For the Bible societies to fellowship with the apostate men is inexcusable
disobedience to the Word of God they distribute. And let us not forget that
that a great many more examples could be given.
The Bible societies distribute pamphlets of Scripture selections on vaious
subjects, but I have yet to see one entitled "Scriptural Separation: Beware
of False Teachers!" The Bible has a great deal to say on this subject, and
quite a lengthy pamphlet could be published containing Scripture passages
dealing with this important theme. In light of the apostasy of the hour, if
the Holy Spirit were truly in control of the Bible societies, you can be
assured that such a pamphlet would be produced and circulated by the
hundreds of thousands. But I don't think I will hold my breathe until the
United Bible Societies publish such a pamphlet!
CHAPTER FIVE
THE BIBLE SOCIETIES AND ROME
- *** "The Secretary of the Italian Bible Society reported that during 1975
Pope Paul VI distributed during his personal audiences 300,000 copies of
the Epistle of James, specially prepared by the United Bible Societies and
the World Catholic Federation for the Biblical Apostolate." --Trinitarian
Bible Society Quarterly Record, July-September 1978 ****
As we have noted, the United Bible Societies have worked with the Roman
Catholic Church in various ways since the beginning. These joint endeavors
have become common place today. We will briefly trace the history and some
main facts about this evil affiliation. It should be noted that the growth
of this partnership between the Bible societies and the Catholic Church has
coincided closely with the proliferation of the new texts and versions of
Scripture. The corruption of the Bible is a product of apostasy:
1800s
"The British and Foreign Bible Society was formed in 1804 and was soon
supporting Roman Catholic projects: "Roman Catholics also enjoyed the
support of the BFBS. Soon after its founding, the BFBS sent funds to Bishop
Michael Wittmann of Regensburg. When the Bavarian priest Johannes Gossner
prepared a German translation of the New Testament, he too was supported by
the BFBS. The main Catholic agent of the BFBS was, however, Leander van
Ess, a priest and professor of theology at Marburg. ... The energetic van
Ess distributed more than 500,000 copies of his New Testament with the aid
of the BFBS." <Lion's History of Christianity, pgs. 557, 558.>
"A booklet published by the American Bible Society acknowledged that "Roman
Catholics participated in the founding of some Bible societies in
Europe. ... It is also acknowledged that Roman Catholic churchmen were
invited to participate in the founding of the American Bible Society in
1816. This booklet was published in 1970." <Trinitarian Bible Society
Quarterly Record, Jan.-Mar., 1979, p. 13.>
"In 1825 the German Bible societies began including in their editions of
the Bible the Apocrypha, a collection of books written between the periods
covered by the Old and New Testaments [which the Roman Catholic Church
accepts as part of the canon of Scripture]." <Lion's History of
Christianity (Herts, England: Lion Publishing, 1977), p. 558.>
1960s
"The work of joint Bible translation and distribution between Protestants
and Catholics was encouraged by `the Driebergen conference of Bible
societies in June 1964, which was attended also by Roman Catholics. The
chief recommendations of the conference were: to prepare a "common text" of
the Bible in the original languages, acceptable to all Churches, including
Roman Catholics; and to explore the possibility of preparing a "common
translation" in certain languages, which could be used by Protestants and
Roman Catholics alike. It was further recommended that the Bible societies
should consider translating and publishing the Apocrypha when Churches
specifically requested it'." <Andrew Brown, The Word of God Among All
Nations, p. 122.>
"In 1965, the Second Vatican Council set a seal of approval on this form of
co-operation. In the Constitution on Divine Revelation it was stated that
`Easy access to sacred Scripture should be provided for all the Christian
faithful.' ... Further: `If given the opportunity and the approval of
Church authority these translations are produced in co-operation with the
separated brethren [non-Catholics] as well, as Christians will be able to
use them.' [The Documents of Vatican II, translated in W.M. Abbott--J.
Gallagher, 1966, `Constitution on Divine Revelation' VI/22]. These
provisions meant that new translations did not have to be based on the
Latin Vulgate, and inter-confessional co-operation was permitted." <Brown,
op. cit., p. 122.>
"One result of Vatican II was the setting up in 1966 of the Vatican Office
for Common Bible Work ... An example of the new spirit of co-operation was
soon found, in the revision of the Bible in Swahili. It was reported in
1966 that the Roman Catholic Tanganyika Episcopal Conference had reached
agreement with the British and Foreign Bible Society on the use of the text
of the Union Version of 1952, with the understanding that the Apocrypha
would be included as well as selected notes and comments from the Jerusalem
Bible [a Roman Catholic Version]. ... The BFBS thus again abandoned its
former policy of excluding the Apocrypha, and notes and comments." <The
Bible Translator (United Bible Societies, April 1966); The Word of God
Among All Nations, pgs. 123-124.>
1966 was also the year in which the Bible society's Today's English Version
New Testament was first published and gained almost immediate acceptance by
the Roman Catholic Church. Of this we read,
"The best-selling Bible translation in history has been cleared for use by
Catholics as well as Protestants. It's the so-called Today's English
Version of the New Testament published by the American Bible Society. ...
The translation has received the official approval or imprimatur, of
Cardinal Richard Cushing, the Catholic archbishop of Boston. It was
Cardinal Cushing who earlier gave an imprimatur to the Protestant-sponsored
Revised Standard Version. Protestant and Catholic scholars in recent years
have reached substantial agreement on the translation of the Bible into
English, and Cardinal Cushing's expert consultants did not seek a single
change in the text of the TEV before approving it for Catholic use."
<United Press International report, Louis Cassels, Religious writer.>
"In 1969 another development took place, with the formation of the World
Catholic Federation for the Biblical Apostolate. The object of this
organization was to co-ordinate the Bible translation work of Catholic
scholars and facilitate their co-operation with the United Bible
Societies." <Brown, op. cit., p. 124.>
1970s
1975 was a big year for Bible distribution at the Vatican, and the Bibles
being distributed were provided by the United Bible Societies!
"The Secretary of the Italian Bible Society reported that during 1975 Pope
Paul VI distributed during his personal audiences 300,000 copies of the
Epistle of James, specially prepared by the United Bible Societies and the
World Catholic Federation for the Biblical Apostolate." <Trinitarian Bible
Society Quarterly Record (Jul.-Sep. 1978), pgs. 6-8.>
By 1976, in the decade since the Second Vatican Council, more than one
hundred and thirty inter-confessional translation projects had been
undertaken, and more than fifty inter-confessional translations of the New
Testament completed. Projects on complete Bibles included the Apocrypha. It
also remained a requirement that translations prepared and published by
Catholics "in co-operation with the `separated brethren' should be
accompanied by `suitable explanations'." <The Word of God Among All
Nations, p. 124.>
It was in 1976 that the complete "common language" New Testament was
published in Italian as a joint project of the United Bible Societies and a
Catholic group with explicit Vatican approval.
"Bishop Ablondi said that two Catholic priests are working for the Italian
Bible Society for the distribution of this New Testament, with the approval
of their Bishop, and that the translation of the Old Testament started
after a seminar held under the auspices of the United Bible Societies
during June 1977. The Ludwigshafen assembly was informed that the Italian
New Testament was presented to the Bishops attending the Synod in Rome as
`an example of modern dynamic equivalent translation [actually referring to
a very loose and careless paraphrase!], and as a model of interconfessional
cooperation'." <Trinitarian Bible Society Quarterly Record, op. cit.>
In 1978 the World Catholic Federation for the Biblical Apostolate made the
following report:
"By 1977 the World Catholic Federation for the Biblical Apostolate has
become a major instrument of the Catholic Church in the realization of the
goal [of ecumenical Bible distribution], in particular with regard to co-
operation with the United Bible Societies. `Each year witnesses to closer
and more significant collaboration between these two organizations.'"
<Activities Report 1977, published by the World Catholic Federation for the
Biblical Apostolate.>
Among the thirty-one Religious Orders associated with the World Catholic
Federation are the "Oblates of Mary Immaculate" in Italy and Germany, and
the "Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help" in Korea. <Activities Report
1977, published by the World Catholic Federation for the Biblical
Apostolate.>
1977 also witnessed a Europe-wide Bible society conference attended by high
leaders in the Catholic and Orthodox churches:
"Delegates from the whole of Europe met at the Ludwigshafen conference to
discuss the future of the United Bible Societies. Monsignor Ablondi, Bishop
of Livorno, Professor Tavares of the Catholic University of Lisbon, and
representatives of the Greek Serbian and Rumanian Orthodox Churches, were
present as full members of the assembly." <The Biblical Apostolate,
VIII/2/78, quoted in Trinitarian Bible Society Quarterly Record (Jul.-Sep.
1978), pgs. 6-8.>
1978 witnessed the completion of several "interconfessional" translation
projects between the United Bible Societies and the Roman Catholic Church.
In this one year translations were completed in Spanish, Portuguese,
French, Dutch, and German. All of these were the so-called "common
language" versions, meaning they were based upon or modeled upon the Bible
society's corrupt Today's English Version (Good News Bible). Some of these
were published with the Apocryphal Books added, and with the addition of
marginal notes and comments acceptable to the Roman Catholic Church.
<Trinitarian Bible Society Quarterly Record (Jul.-Sep. 1978), pgs. 6-8.>
1979 witnessed UBS leaders attending a Catholic conference in Mexico and
pledging closer cooperation with Rome:
"The [Catholic] Third General Conference of the Latin American Episcopacy
took place at Puebla, in Mexico, and was opened by Pope John Paul II. At
the conference, representatives of the United Bible Societies participated
in an ecumenical religious service, and also provided a Bible information
stand and closely co-operated with the World Catholic Federation for the
Biblical Apostolate. Regarding this co-operation, we are told: `It
signifies an official recognition of the services being offered by the UBS
and announces the beginning of a new era and a new spirit of collaboration
at the service of God's Word. It is the firm hope of the WCFBA [World
Catholic Federation for the Biblical Apostolate] that this prophetic
breakthrough has opened doors of communication and co-operation which will
become a sign and instrument of the power of God's Word to renew the
continent'." <Word-Event (United Bible Societies, No. 36), p. 27.>
1980s
As of 1981 there were over 200 interconfessional translation projects in
progress. <C.B. Hastings, "Looking Closely at Complex Catholicism," The
Commission (South Baptist Convention: Sep. 1982); The Commission is the
official missions publication of the Southern Baptist Church.>
By 1981 over 500,000 copies of the Good News Bible, with the Apocryphal
Books added, had been published and distributed by the American Bible
Society. <Foundation (Jul.-Aug. 1981).>
By 1982, one Vatican secretariat sponsored more than a hundred full-time
scholars in cooperation with the United Bible Societies in Scripture
translation in many lands! <Hastings, The Commission (Sep. 1982).>
By 1984 "the pace had quickened, and it was reported that out of a total of
590 translation projects of the United Bible Societies, as many as 390 were
of the interconfessional type. <Word-Event (United Bible Societies, No.
56), p. 28.>
1986 was a high water mark in relations between the UBS and Rome. That was
the year that the UBS presented a copy of the new Italian interconfessional
Bible to the pope:
The Italian Bible Society recently presented Pope John Paul II with a copy
of a new Italian interconfessional Bible in a ceremony at the Vatican.
Italian President Francesco Cossaga has also received a copy in the
presidential palace. Both Protestants and Catholics co-operated in
translating the new Bible, which is the result of 7 years' work. It has
been published jointly by the Italian Bible Society and a Salesian
publishing firm. ... The presentation of the Bible to Pope John Paul II was
made by Luca Bertalot, the young grandson of the Italian Bible Society's
general secretary Revd Dr. Renzo Bertalot. United Bible Societies was
represented by consultant to the UBS, Revd Dr Laton E. Holmgren.
Addressing the Pope, Dr. Holmgren said, "For the first time in four
centuries the Bible is a bond of unity rather than a source of division.
Despite differences of tradition, dedicated people are producing more and
more common Bibles which are being used in scores of lands and languages."
Pope John Paul replied, "Accept the warmest expression of my grateful
appreciation for the result of your efforts. The task which you have
undertaken is an important moment of collaboration. I ardently desire that
it should not pass in vain, but that it truly produce a fertile rediscovery
of our common base of origin. In returning to it, the entire Church cannot
fail to benefit in rejuvenation, mutual cohesion and effective testimony to
the world. I invoke the Lord's blessing upon all of you and upon your
work."
The edition presented to the Pope carries the imprimatur (official Catholic
approval) of the Bishop of Turin. ... Also present at the Vatican ceremony
was Bishop Alberto Ablondi of Livorno, Italy, who is a member of the United
Bible Societies General Committee and president of the World Catholic
Federation for the Biblical Apostolate. Members of the Bible translation
team attended with him.
Copies of a new Catholic Study Bible, which uses the Good News Bible text,
were presented to guests at the ceremony. The Bible contains notes on the
text approved by the Catholic Church and has been published by American
publishers Thomas Nelson. <"Pope Receives New Bible," Word in Action
(British and Foreign Bible Society, Spring, 1986, No. 49), p. 4.>
RCC-UBS partnership in the Philippines
In the Philippines we find a perfect illustration of the close partnership
which has developed between the United Bible Societies and the Roman
Catholic Church. The following comes from The Bible Distributor, a UBS
publication, and though it is a lengthy quotation, we believe it is
important enough to include here:
The collaboration of the Philippine Bible Society (PBS) with Roman
Catholics began in 1967. After the Vatican II Council, Roman Catholics
approached the PBS to request permission to use existing Bible Society
Scriptures in local languages. Aware of the inadequacy of these old texts
for the young people at that time, the Bible Society proposed instead a
cooperative venture to produce local language Bibles that could be used by
Protestants and Catholics alike, and which would be in contemporary, or
popular, language.
To date, there are Bibles in six out of the eight major languages in the
Philippines, and work is under way in the other two languages.
Any material intended for Roman Catholics has to be carefully planned,
discussed and approved by both parties to ensure effective and meaningful
distribution. It involves consultation and coordination with the
established commissions of the Roman Catholic Church.
SINCE 1967, WHEN SCRIPTURE TRANSLATION PROJECTS IN POPULAR VERSIONS BEGAN
IN THE PHILIPPINES, THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH HAS BEEN DELEGATING
REPRESENTATIVES TO THE PHILIPPINE BIBLE SOCIETY through the Episcopal
Commission on the Biblical Apostolate (ECBA). Planning and preparation is
much easier today because of the Roman Catholic representation on the PBS
Board of Directors. This Roman Catholic representation did not happen
overnight. Amendments to the PBS By-Laws were gradually introduced by the
PBS Board of Directors as they saw and understood more clearly the mission
of the Bible Society in the country. ROMAN CATHOLIC MEMBERSHIP ON THE PBS
BOARD HAS INCREASED FROM ONE OUT OF 11 MEMBERS IN 1979 TO FIVE OUT OF 18
MEMBERS TODAY. These Roman Catholic Board members help pave the way of
joint cooperation between the PBS and the Roman Catholic Church. ...
A total of 655,000 Bibles with deuterocanonicals and 1,426,000 New
Testaments with the Roman Catholic Imprimatur have been produced and
distributed in the past six years.
Efforts have been made to provide English Bibles which are acceptable to
Roman Catholics; e.g. the following Bibles have been produced locally: Good
news Bible with Deuterocanonicals ... New American Bible ... Jerusalem
Bible ...
Other material being produced for Roman Catholics in the Philippines are
the Roman Catholic Daily Bible Reading Guide (RC DBRG) and the
Lectionary. ... READINGS FROM THE LECTIONARY PRODUCED BY THE PHILIPPINE
BIBLE SOCIETY ARE BASED ON THE POPULAR VERSION TRANSLATIONS AND ARE USED BY
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CLERGY DURING THE MASS. THEREFORE, IT PROMOTES THE USE
OF DYNAMIC EQUIVALENT TRANSLATIONS, thus making the Word of God available
in a language that people can easily understand. In the past five years,
the Philippine Bible Society has distributed a total of 4,100,000 RC DBRG
and 21,000 Lectionaries. ...
Establishing an effective working relationship between the PBS and the
Roman Catholic Church requires a clear understanding of the mission of the
Bible Society in the country in which it is situated. ... Serving the
churches is one of the missions of the Bible Society. The "Church" refers
to all Christian churches in the country. <Nathanael P. Lazaro, "Serving
Roman Catholics in the Philippines," The Bible Distributor (Oct.-Nov.
1986), pgs. 8-11,13; Lazaro is Distribution Secretary of the Philippine
Bible Society.>
It is plain that the UBS is fully given over to an unholy ecumenism. It
matters not that Romanism preaches a false gospel which leads multitudes to
hell. It matters not that Romanism is filled with all sorts of error and
idolatry. The UBS intends to "serve all churches" no matter what the Word
of God says!
ROMAN CATHOLICS IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS WITH THE UBS
In the 1970s a Catholic woman named Maria Teresa Porcile Santiso was
employed full time by the United Bible Societies as directress of
ecumenical affairs in the regional centre of Mexico." <Word-Event, No. 36,
p. 6.>
"The new president of the WCFBA [World Catholic Federation for the Biblical
Apostolate], the Right Reverend Monsignor Alberto Ablondi, is the Catholic
Bishop of Livorno in Italy. Simultaneously he is a member of the General
Committee and European Regional Executive Committee of the United Bible
Societies, thus playing a part in the formulation and review of the UBS
general policy." <Trinitarian Bible Society Quarterly Report (Oct.-Dec.
1985), p. 24.>
"Among the UBS Vice-Presidents will be found the name of Dr. Francis
Arinze, who is not only a Roman Catholic archbishop (of Onitsha in Nigeria)
but has also recently been made a Cardinal by the Pope." <Ibid., p. 25.>
In this context we would also remind our readers that Carlo Martini, Roman
Catholic bishop of Milan, is one of the editors of the United Bible
Societies' Greek New Testament.
We see from these quotes and observations that the United Bible Societies
has drawn very close to the Roman Catholic Church in its work of Bible
translation and distribution. Surely it is more than a coincidence that
since the days of the production of the English Revised Version (with its
preference for Catholic manuscripts), the reversal of the Protestant
Reformation has grown with amazing rapidity.
In the above quotes we see how the Bible societies now distribute Bibles
which contain the Catholic Apocryphal books, which should not be a part of
the Bible at all as they give no evidence of being inspired of God. On the
trip to Calcutta mentioned earlier in this study I saw stacks of shiney new
Bibles which had recently arrived from America. They were published by the
American Bible Society and contained the Apocrypha.
We also see that the Catholic Church has not given up its false teachings
for the sake of these ecumenical Bible projects. The ecumenical movement is
a one-way street as far as the Vatican is concerned, and that street leads
straight to Rome! How clever the Roman Catholic leaders are! In these
interconfessional translations, the United Bible Societies are providing
money and personnel for the publication of Catholic Bibles, Bibles which
contain the Catholic Apocryphal Books as well as notes promoting Roman
traditions.
One tradition that is continually reinforced concerns the role of the
virgin Mary. Paragraphs 282-303 of the conference [the 1979 Third General
Conference of the Latin American Episcopacy, opened by Pope John Paul II
and attended by representatives of the United Bible Societies] document are
entitled "Mary, the Mother and model of the Church," and concern Mary's
role in "evangelization"; the document does not fail to mention the
Catholic doctrine of Mary's "Immaculate Conception" and "Assumption."
<Trinitarian Bible Society Quarterly Record (Apr.-Jun. 1981), pgs. 14-15.>
And what has Rome given in return? Practically nothing! The same is true in
Rome's activities in other areas of ecumenism. For example, though the
Roman Catholic Church is not a member of (and therefore does not support
financially) the National Council of Churches in America, Catholic priests
are in key decision-making positions within this organization. The head of
the National Council's Faith and Order Commission, for instance, is a Roman
Catholic priest! Faith and Order. Consider what that means. It refers to
the section of the National Council of Churches which is concerned with
doctrine and practice, and a priest of Rome oversees it.
The same is true for the World Council of Churches. The Roman Catholic
Church has resolutely refused to become a member (because the Catholic
Church will not be subservient or even on an equal level with the other
churches in the Council). Therefore the Roman Catholic Church gives no
money to support the World Council of Churches, but again it has its
priests in key positions within the WCC. A large official delegation of
Catholic priests attended the Sixth General Assembly of the WCC in
Vancouver in 1983 and took an active part in all decision making
activities--even though their Church is not a member!
The things we have seen in this section present a sad and foolish picture.
Here is a society dedicated to the distribution of God's Holy Word to all
peoples bending over backward to serve the apostate Roman Catholic Church
which kept the Word of God bound from men for so many centuries. Probably
no organization on earth has more wealth than the Roman Catholic Church,
and yet the leaders of the United Bible Societies are using the monies
given to them by Protestant Christians to subsidize the Vatican's
activities. Could anything be sillier!
We have seen how that the United Bible Societies even helped finance the
Scripture portions which the wicked pope gives away in his endless "papal
audiences," during which this deceiver woos, flatters, and deceives the
steady stream of blinded people who come for his blessing and advice. The
pope is playing no game when he calls himself the vicar of Christ and sits
upon a throne as primate of the whole earth. He is deadly serious as he
courts the kings, diplomats, and religious leaders who slavishly bow and
scrape before him. The Roman pope's one earnest desire from the earliest
days of Catholicism has been to rule the world, and the Bible indicates
that he will have his wish as a co-ruler with the antichrist for a brief
time. In Revelation 17 the harlot, the apostate world religion, is seen
sitting upon the beast, which is the antichrist and his world government.
The pope's big day is coming! And so is his final overthrow and
destruction, by the way. How sad for organizations such as the Bible
societies to give aid and comfort to this man.
The attitude of the United Bible Societies toward the Roman Catholic
Church, for the most part, is summed up in the policy of the Canadian Bible
Society. Of this member of the United Bible Societies we read, "THE
CANADIAN BIBLE SOCIETY CONSIDERS ITSELF TOTALLY AT THE SERVICE OF CATHOLIC
BIBLE WORK." <Trinitarian Bible Society Quarterly Record (Jul.-Sep. 1978),
pgs. 6-8.> Even the pope could not desire more than this!
We would warn our readers again that God's Word absolutely forbids any
Christian to fellowship with or support apostasy. In 2 John and again in
Revelation 18:4 we are warned that to do so means we will be partakers of
the evil deeds of those we are fellowshipping with and/or aiding. No born
again Christian should give even the smallest offering toward the Bible
society's work. If a born again Christian is in a church which fellowships
with or supports the Bible societies, part of your tithes and offerings are
going to support the evil we have been considering in this study. God warns
that He will hold you responsible to know where your money is going and He
will judge you if you aid apostasy. Don't you hear the call of God:
"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people,
that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her
plagues." (Revelation 18:4)
THE BIBLE SOCIETIES ARE INTERCONNECTED: ALL MEMBER BODIES ARE THEREFORE
PARTAKERS OF THESE EVILS
"The United Bible Societies organization was launched in 1946, and now
coordinates the work of most of the world's Bible societies, including the
British and Foreign Bible Society, the National Bible Society of Scotland,
the American Bible Society, and the Netherlands Bible Society, among
others. It is, in effect, the `Bible society wing' of the World Council of
Churches." <The Word of God Among All Nations, p. 124.>
One hundred different Bible societies belong to the United Bible Societies
as of January 1985. <EP News Service (Jan. 25, 1985).>
All of these societies are tied together organizationally as well as
spiritually. To support any one of the Bible societies is to support all of
them. If a Christian in America supports the American Bible Society he is
not only upholding up the evil of that one society, but is also supporting
the apostasy of other Bible Societies--such as the one in the
Philippines--around the world.
Yes, I realize there are some born again people working with the Bible
societies. Revelation 17-18 describes the apostate one world religion and
one world government of the last hours of this present age. The picture is
that of total apostasy and wickedness, and yet the Bible says some true
people of God are involved in these movements because God's call is "Come
out of her, MY PEOPLE, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye
receive not of her plagues" (Revelation 18:4). Consider three simple
lessons from this passage:
1. There are some truly saved people in the last hours movement of apostasy
of our day.
2. God calls from heaven to those who are saved, exhorting them to separate
from the apostasy.
3. Those who ignore this call will be judged.
The decision is clear. The pressures of family, tradition, security, fear
of the unpopularity of a separate position, and many other things are
brought to bear against the Christian who desires to be faithful to God in
an apostate day. God is calling from heaven and requiring a complete
separation of His people from apostasy. Who will we fear--God, or man? To
whose voice will we hearken--heaven's or the world's?
We must warn, in conclusion, that faithful Christians must have nothing
whatsoever to do with apostate organizations such as the United Bible
Societies. We have given sufficient facts to show that these societies are
indeed disobedient to the Word of God in their affiliations with the false
Catholic Church, with Christ-denying liberals, with Unitarians and others.
The Bible warns that if we affiliate with those who are apostate and
disobedient we will be partaker of their evil deeds.
"Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought,
but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not
in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of
Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you,
and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid
him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil
deeds." 2 John 8-11
I believe it will be clear by now by most readers that Unholy Hands on
God's Holy Book is an apt title for a study of the United Bible Societies.
The important question is: Will we be found clasping those unholy hands
when the trumpet sounds?
CHAPTER FIVE
FINAL CHALLENGE: A VOICE FROM THE PAST
Probably the greatest preacher of modern times was Charles Haddon Spurgeon
of England. Spurgeon, writing in his publication, The Sword and the Trowel,
September 1888, warned against those who would alter and pervert the Word
of God. What he wrote in 1888 is strongly needed today. Listen to this man
of God:
Every motive that could move men to alter the Word of God has been fully
delineated in various portions of the Bible. It shows that God was aware
from the first of the reception that would be given to His truth; and it is
as instructing to the humble believer as it is humiliating to the modern
lover of penknife criticism.
The tendency to alter the Word of God is HUMAN. It is manifested in the
first religious conversation on record. The Divine voice had asserted "Thou
shalt not eat of it"; the human voice added "neither shall ye touch it."
The addition was the precursor of the fall.
The desire to alter the Word of God is DANGEROUS. In the wilderness God
Himself points this out. "Ye shall not add unto the Word which I command
you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it" (Deuteronomy 4:2). The
nations they were advancing to conquer had long cast aside their allegiance
to their Maker, and the least tendency to question or alter God's Word
might result in the same downfall for Israel. "Thou shalt not add thereto,
nor diminish from it." That idolatry does result from such daring rebellion
is proved by the state of the Roman Catholic community today.
The act of altering the Word of God is SINFUL. "Add not unto His words,
lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar" (Proverbs 30: 5,6) "Every
word of God is pure"; and he who essays to improve upon it imputes error to
the All-wise. Only unholy minds could attempt it.
The desire to alter the Word of God is WEAKNESS. Jeremiah's was a terrible
message, and even he might yield to feelings of pity for his race. God saw
this, and in words that could not be misunderstood, He said to the prophet,
"Diminish not a word" (Jer. 26:2). If God's message is diminished its power
is lessened, and its results are consequently less certain. The authority,
the power, the meaning, the terror of God's truth must be preserved in all
their fulness if God's purposes are to be carried out.
The ambition to alter the Word of God is PHARISAIC. To break the perfection
of the law and teach our own alterations or additions as if they were of
God is vile indeed (Matthew 5:19,20). Our Lord reproved this spirit in
scathing and unmistakable language. Why is it His Words are forgotten? "Ye
have made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition," He
says. "They teach for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:6-9).
The Pharisaic spirit thus renders impossible obedience to God the Supreme
Teacher.
The craving to alter the Word of God is ACCURSED. Revelation 2:18-19 should
be read with fear and trembling. Thus all down the ages God has warned men
against this crime. He is a jealous God, and has determined to visit with
the direst punishment all who dare to alter His completed and full
revelation.
This is the crime of the present day: the Lord preserve us from it.
SUGGESTED READING
Carter, Cecil. Examine the Facts, available from Way of Life Literature,
1219 N. Harns Road, Oak Harbor, Wa 98277, U.S.A
Cloud, David. A Most Frightful Deception: The Today's English Version and
Translator Robert Bratcher, Way of Life Literature, 1219 N. Harns Road, Oak
Harbor, Wa 98277, U.S.A.
Cloud, David. Dynamic Equivalency: Death Knell of Pure Scripture, Way of
Life Literature, 1219 N. Harns Road, Oak Harbor, Wa 98277, U.S.A.
Cloud, David. The English Language and Bible Preservation, Way of Life
Literature.
Cloud, David. The Living Bible: Blessing or Curse? Way of Life Literature.
Cloud, David. Myths About the King James Bible, (A Series of five books)
Way of Life Literature, 1219 N. Harns Road, Oak Harbor, Wa 98277, U.S.A.
Fowler, Everett. Evaluating Versions of the New Testament, Way of Life
Literature.
Freeman, Paul. Bible Doctrines Affected by Modern Versions, Way of Life
Literature.
Fuller, David Otis (Ed.) Which Bible? available from Way of Life
Literature.
Fuller, David Otis (Ed.) True or False?, The Eye Opener Publishers, P.O.
Box 7944, Eugene, Oregon 97401, U.S.A.
Hills, Edward F. The King James Version Defended. The Eye Opener
Publishers, P.O. Box 7944, Eugene, Oregon 97401, U.S.A.
Logsdon, Frank. From the NASV to the KJV: A Testimony of a Committee Member
for the New American Standard Version, Way of Life Literature, 1219 N.
Harns Road, Oak Harbor, Wa 98277, U.S.A.
MacLean, W. The Providential Preservation of the Greek New Testament,
Westminster Standard, P.O. Box 740, Gisborne, New Zealand.
Madden, D. K. A Critical Evaluation of the American Standard Bible
available from Way of Life Literature, 1219 N. Harns Road, Oak Harbor, WA
98277, U.S.A.
Moorman, Jack. Forever Settled: A Survey of the Documents and History of
the Bible, The Bible for Today, 900 Park Ave., Collingswood, NJ 08108.
Moorman, Jack. Missing in Modern Bibles, The Bible for Today, 900 Park
Ave., Collingswood, NJ 08108.
Moorman, Jack. When the KJV Departs from the "Majority" Text, The Bible for
Today, 900 Park Ave., Collingswood, NJ 08108.
The Divine Original, Trinitarian Bible Society, 217 Kingston Road, London,
SW19 3NN, England.
Waite, D.A. The King James Bible Defended, The Bible for Today, 900 Park
Ave., Collingswood, NJ 08108.